Spotlight
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Carol Mason has trust issues, but in her line of work, one certainly can't blame her. A twist of fate brings Daryl Dixon into her life, and everything she's come to know about relationships flips upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead.

Spotlight

Chapter 1: Change of Luck

"Pick up. Oh, come on. Pick up," Carol Mason groaned into the phone, ducking down in the driver's seat and pulling her sunglasses over her face, despite the tinted windows that would make it impossible to see inside. The call went straight to voicemail. "Damn it." She sighed and waited for the beep. _Beep._ "Hey, Michonne. It's me. Carol. Your best friend in the entire world. It's funny that you always answer the phone except when my car is broken down on the side of a busy road. I could _really_ use a ride. Call me back when you get this, though I can't guarantee somebody won't come and kidnap me. Then you'll feel awful, right? Alright, I'm kidding. I hope. I love you." She ended the call and tossed her cell into her purse, trying the key in the ignition.

She frowned when the engine choked but refused to sputter to life.

 _"Runs like a dream!"_ the salesman had said when she'd bought it. _Yeah,_ she thought bitterly, _when it's not breaking down every five minutes_. For the price she'd paid, she'd expected it wouldn't start giving her trouble two months into owning it.

She fished through her purse, grabbing the blue head scarf she'd bought the day before, and she quickly wrapped it over her head, covering her brown pixie cut and pushed her sunglasses further up her nose. With a heavy sigh, she got out of the car and walked around the car, checking to see if whatever was wrong was something visually obvious. No such luck. She groaned and kicked the tire.

 _Awesome._

She peeked over her shoulder, tilting her sunglasses just enough that her piercing blue eyes could fully scan the area. When she was certain she wasn't being watched or followed, she relaxed and moved back into the driver's seat, pulling out her phone and looking up the number for the nearest road side assistant.

Her phone rang then, and she said a silent thank you skyward before answering.

"Hey."

"You ok?" Michonne asked. "You need me?"

"Yeah," Carol groaned. "I was on my way home from the studio, and the car broke down."

"What a piece of junk," Michonne scoffed.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me. I don't know _what_ I was thinking."

"You were thinking 'this asshole only wanted to date me because he thought he'd get a spot on my show, and I'm pretty sure he left wearing a pair of my panties, and not in a good way, so I'm gonna buy a new car and get a new house to start over, wash that freak-show out of my life and make myself feel better.' Am I close?"

"I hate when you do that!" Carol groaned. "Can you come pick me up before somebody recognizes me and calls the paparazzi? The last thing I need is to be all over Entertainment Tonight."

"Relax," Michonne laughed. "Look, just tell me where you are, and I'll…" And the phone went dead.

"Hello?" Carol asked. She glanced at the phone only to see the battery indicator flashing before the phone shut down completely. "Damn it. Oh my God." She started to grab for her charger, only to remember that the car had to be running in order for it to work. The day just kept getting better.

When she heard the rumble strip on the side of the freeway groan behind her and the crack of gravel under rubber, she peeked into her rear view mirror to find a big pickup truck with its blinkers on cozying right up behind the back bumper of her car.

She immediately grabbed for the bottle of pepper spray in her purse. She tucked it into the front pocket of her leather jacket, and she gripped the steering wheel. She watched through the side mirror as this gorgeous piece of heaven hopped out of the driver's side wearing a pair of ripped blue jeans and a button down shirt with the sleeves cut off. His skin was damp with sweat, golden and a little pink from the sun, and his hair was a light brown, just long enough that it swept into his eyes before he pushed it back with his fingers and sauntered her way.

Her heart rate picked up just a little, and she took a deep breath to calm her hormones and prepared herself for the inevitable 'hey, aren't you that girl from that show? Can I have your autograph?' She rolled the window down then, putting on a pleasant smile as he put his hands on the window frame and bent down.

"Car trouble?"

"Is it that obvious?" she chuckled, getting a smirk out of him. It was then that she noticed the patch sewn onto his shirt. Daryl. Underneath his name read _Dixon Bros. Detailing & Repairs. _"Boy did you come along at the right time." She took off her sunglasses and flinched as the sun glinted into her eyes. She prepared for the recognition, only to be pleasantly surprised at what was either his indifference or obliviousness.

"I can tow it for ya. I got the rig with me."

"I…didn't even call for a tow," she pointed out, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I just saw ya broke down."

"So you see an expensive car broken down on the side of the road, and you, what, figure you could swoop in and lend your services? This is L.A. You realize I could be driving my boss' car, right? It could be a rental." Daryl looked a little confused, and she felt bad, but this is what her life had become, a series of speculating ulterior motives and simple kindnesses. Everybody seemed to want a piece of the spotlight when they got a taste of it.

"No," he said a little sharply. "If it's about the money, I wasn't gonna charge you a damned cent. Just figured you might need some help." Carol flinched then. "Guess I understand though. It's L.A. Ain't many folks friendly enough to stop and help unless they think there's somethin' in it for 'em."

"You're not from around here," she said with a smile. "Arkansas?"

"Georgia," he pointed out.

"Really?" Carol asked, raising an eyebrow. "I grew up outside of Atlanta. Didn't move here until about ten years ago." She smiled then, and Daryl eyed her. She didn't miss the way his gaze traveled down her neck and dipped into the V neck of her shirt. She cleared her throat then and moved to open the car door. She stepped out, and she noticed the way the back of his neck turned a little redder from the view he'd gotten as she leaned forward out of the car before standing up. "Sorry I was kind of a bitch."

"Nah, you weren't."

"Yes, I was," she chuckled. "So, _Daryl_ , you can give me a ride?"

"Sure," he offered. "Where you need to go? You live close?" She bristled internally at the idea of telling a stranger where she lived. She'd had to move three times in the past two years after messy breakups or fans finding her home. But this guy didn't seem to know who she was, or if he did, he wasn't letting on. Trust was a hard thing to have when everybody knew your name.

"Uh, you can drop me off at my friend's. She's closer. She can take me home."

"It ain't no trouble."

"No, really. It's fine. I called her, but my battery on my phone died, so she probably thinks I'm lying dead somewhere right now. Do you have a phone?"

"Left it at the garage. Don't use it much," he admitted. "Well, gimme a minute, and I can get your car hooked up. No charge."

"I'll pay," Carol promised. "I don't need hand outs."

"Didn't figure you did. But I ain't chargin', 'cause you didn't call, and I ain't workin'."

"Well, I'll pay for the repairs then. It's only right." Daryl nodded then, and he reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. The condom ring in the back did not go unnoticed, but Carol bit back the grin when he handed her a business card.

"Daryl Dixon. I presume you're a Dixon brother."

"How'd ya guess?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh, just a hunch." _Oh my God, stop flirting._ She cleared her throat. "I'm Carol Mason."

"Sounds familiar. You sure I ain't worked on one of your cars before?"

"No, I'm pretty sure," she replied with a smile. "But it's a pretty common name, you know? Carol's common. So is Mason. You know, L.A. is a big place."

"Yeah," Daryl said slowly, considering her words before he stepped around her and grabbed the keys out of the ignition. He handed them to her, and she slid the car key off the ring, giving it back to him. He pocketed it and went back to the truck to pull it around in front of Carol's car.

It didn't take long for him to rig her car up and reel it in to tow, and before Carol knew it, she was sitting in the passenger's side of his pickup, barreling down the busy freeway with the wind whipping into the cab through the rolled down windows. She tucked her sunglasses into her purse, thankful that for once she didn't have to hide.

"You in the witness protection program or somethin'?" he finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" she laughed.

"You were actin' all nervous back there, wearin' that scarf on your head and them sunglasses. Your car windows might as well be painted black, as dark as that tint job is."

"I just like my privacy," she offered with a shrug. She smiled then and shook her head. He really didn't have a clue, and it was the best feeling she'd had all day. She chuckled then.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She smiled then, and then came the giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked, a crooked smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"It's just…we live in L.A. and you see somebody driving with tinted windows, wearing sunglasses and a scarf on their head, and you think they're in the witness protection program."

"You in the business, then? I mean, Hollywood?" He eyed her for a moment, as if trying to place her. "You know, that chick from the Speed movies came into my shop one time. She was real nice."

"Oh," Carol said with a nod and a little grin. When Daryl realized she wasn't going to talk about herself, he cleared his throat.

"Where'd you say your friend lives?"

"Keep going. I'll tell you when to turn." Daryl nodded then.

"You got a number I can call you at when your car's done?"

"I don't give usually give out my number," she said quietly. At his glance, she shrugged. "I can stop by in a few days and check on it. Would that be ok?"

"Yeah, sure," he offered slowly. "You sure you don't want me to just call when it's done? Might save you a couple of trips if I gotta order parts or somethin'." Carol thought about it for a moment before she reached into her purse for a pen and a sticky note. She scribbled down the number and gave it to him, considering the possibility that once he figured out who she was, she very well might have to change her phone number. One of her own cousins had sold false stories to the tabloids about her a few years back. Trust. It was a bitch of a thing to hold onto.

She passed him the note, and he tucked it into his shirt pocket next to her car key.

"Thank you. For your help."

"Ain't no trouble," he assured her.

"Well, it means a lot to me. And it's nice to know there are still people out there who will stop to help a stranger…even if that stranger is suspicious and acts like a complete jerk to them."

"Apology accepted," he chuckled, getting a grin out of her.

"Oh, turn left up here," she instructed when they came to Michonne's street. She told him where to stop, and when they were parked outside the front of Michonne's apartment building, Carol opened up her purse.

"What're you doin'?"

"I should at least pay you for the gas," she offered.

"I don't want your money," he snorted. "Keep it."

"Daryl, I wasn't…look…" She sighed heavily.

"Just keep the damn money," he replied with a chuckle. "I own a business. You think I need somebody payin' me for gas?"

"Fair enough," she replied with a smile. "Thank you for your help, Daryl." She watched the way he shifted in his seat, almost anxiously. She put her sunglasses back on, and she tried not to be obvious that she was looking around for any sign of paparazzi.

"You want me to walk you up?" he offered.

"I'm ok. The doorman will let me in," she replied with a smile. She reached for the door handle, but the door wouldn't budge.

"Shit," Daryl muttered. "It's stuck again." He hopped out of the truck and hurried around to the curb, grabbing the handle on the door and tugging hard. It gave with a groan, and Carol turned to hop out of the cab. Before she could slide off the seat, Daryl put his hand against the side of the truck. Carol felt her pulse race just then at the way he was looking at her. Not in the way many people looked at her, full of expectations and greed. He looked at her in a way that made her shiver, that made her blood run a little hotter, that made her breath catch in her throat. His blue eyes were almost hypnotic, and he licked his lips as the blush filled his cheeks. He wanted her, and it was a huge turn on.

"Look, I don't usually do this, Miss Mason," he said quietly. "But you think I could buy you a cup of coffee sometime?"

"Why would you want to do that?" she asked, voice even and soft but practiced enough that it didn't sound suspicious or accusing.

"'Cause I don't think you trust enough people to get out and do stuff like that very often."

"That's a very bold assumption, Mr. Dixon." She smiled then. "And forgive me for being a little skeptical of you when you say you don't do this often."

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean, the way you looked down my shirt when I got out of the car, the condom ring on your wallet, the way you came walking up to the car like you just walked out of a photo shoot for Popular Mechanics' Centerfold of the Month." Daryl snorted then, and- she watched his cheeks flame. "Am I wrong?"

"First of all, lady, forgive me for admirin' a beautiful woman when I see one. Second, this damned wallet was my brother's. He gave it to me. There ain't been a condom in it in fifteen years, 'cause that's high school shit. Last, you sayin' there's somethin' wrong with the way I walk?" Carol found the way her body responded to his gruff voice a bit fascinating. Her core was starting to throb. _Holy shit._

"Nothing wrong with the way you walk, at all," she said with a little smile, biting her lip. "I'm sorry."

"Ya know, for somebody who don't seem to want folks to notice her, you sure got a way of noticin' people and making the _wrong_ ideas up for yourself." He was a little angry now, and she felt her heart skip a beat when her stomach sank.

"You're right," she said quietly after a moment. "I have trust issues. And I'm sorry for assuming…look, can we just forget this happened? Just call me when the car's fixed." Daryl stepped back from the side of the truck, and Carol slid out, adjusting her scarf over her hair.

"So?" he asked, as she started to walk away. She turned.

"So what?"

"So, you wanna grab that coffee sometime, or not?" Carol couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips that she tried to bite back, to no avail. _Don't do it. You don't know this guy. He could be anybody._ She took a deep, shaking breath then. _Then again, it's been a long time since you had a date with a decent guy. Who knows? Maybe he's the real deal. Maybe those hands are good for more than fixing cars._

"You have my number," she finally said, pulling down her sunglasses to stare at him with those mesmerizing blue eyes. "Call me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Anxiety

"What happened?!" Michonne exclaimed, pulling her friend into a hug the second she stepped into the apartment. "I thought I was gonna have to come looking for you."

"My phone battery died, and I couldn't charge it because my car's dead, too." Carol gave her friend a sheepish smile.

"How'd you get here?"

"This guy stopped and towed my car for me."

"Oh," Michonne said slowly. "You sure he was legit?" Carol found the business card and showed her friend. "Oh, yeah. I've heard of these guys. They do good work. Which brother did you get?"

"Daryl," Carol said with a little smile.

"Ooh, do I detect a crush?" Michonne asked with a teasing smile.

"He didn't have a clue who I was, Michonne. Do you realize what a huge deal that is?"

"For you? Yeah," Michonne laughed. "So, what's he like?"

"A lot nicer than I deserve for the way I treated him. I was kind of a bitch to him. I think he saw through it, though. He asked me out. I mean, he asked me to go out for coffee."

"What'd you say?" Michonne asked, ushering Carol into the living room, where they both collapsed on opposite ends of the oversized couch, propping their feet up next to each other's.

"I told him to call me."

"Wait…you…gave out your number? _You_? Are you feeling well?" She reached over to put her hand against Carol's forehead, and Carol promptly swatted her hand away.

"Oh, stop," she snorted. "He was a really nice guy."

"And by nice you mean…"

"Nice," Carol laughed. "And gorgeous. Oh God, you should have seen those arms. And he was tanned. Not the fake tan. Honest to goodness sun-kissed, golden, earns it the hard way tan…"

"You need a moment alone?" Michonne teased.

"All I'm saying," Carol blushed, "is that you can tell he works outside a lot. He's outdoorsy."

"And that's what you want."

"God, yes," Carol groaned. "The last few guys I dated wanted to hang out at the house, swim in the pool, watch TV on the big screen and spend all day eating all the food in my kitchen. I mean, I want a guy I can spend the day in bed with, but I also want a guy who's not afraid to…to take me fishing and push me in the water."

"If only the world knew the real Carol Mason," Michonne sighed dramatically, holding the back of her hand up to her own forehead for effect. Carol rolled her eyes. "Ok, but honestly, what makes you think you can trust the guy? Don't get me wrong, you need to get laid as much as the next girl, but your track record has been…"

"Crap?"

"Yeah," Michonne laughed. "I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"It's just coffee, Michonne. If he turns out to be some idiot who just wants a few minutes with a celebrity to sell a story to the tabloids, then so be it. I'll be careful. But something about him…he's different. I like this guy. It was like he…saw right through me."

"This coming from the girl with trust issues."

"Fame isn't everything," Carol pointed out. "I act because it's what I love to do. But it's not my whole life." She shrugged her shoulders. "I just want what everybody else wants. I don't care about the rest of it." She caught the frown that Michonne tried to hide. "What?"

"I wouldn't want to be famous. I mean, did you see this?" Michonne picked up a magazine off of the coffee table and passed it to Carol.

"Carol Mason…Does She Really Hate Her Co-Stars?" She rolled her eyes. "Oh, we'll have a good laugh about that one tomorrow." She tossed the magazine down onto the coffee table. "Can you give me a ride home?"

...

After her shower, Carol collapsed on her king-sized bed, rolling onto her stomach and hugging her pillow, burying her face in it and inhaling the scent of fresh, clean linen. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious, a little lighter since meeting Daryl by chance on the side of the freeway that afternoon. Her nerves were a jumbled mess, twisting and knotting in her stomach. She hadn't felt like this in a long time.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to relax, tried to let sleep take her under, but it was no use. He was on her mind. She was so focused on thinking about him that she couldn't think about much else. But then again, all she'd been thinking about the last few weeks had been her big story arc coming up.

Olivia O'Connor was a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world, overcoming great struggles to become a true fighter, a true leader in the small group of people trying to live in a world where a virus wiped out most of the population, leaving only a few to struggle to rebuild society in the threat of outsiders who don't want the world to be what it once was.

Carol was _proud_ of her character's story, of how far she'd come since the beginning, waking up to find her husband and children dead, nearly taking her own life out of grief, only to be pulled out of it by sheer will and the need to carry on.

The show was coming up on its fourth season, and Olivia had become a fan favorite. _Apocalypse, California_ had become one of the most successful science fiction shows on television. She was proud of her work, proud of her co-workers' work, proud of everything she'd accomplished in helping bring Olivia's story to life.

But at the end of the day, when she came home from work and washed off her Olivia mask, she was lonely, and she longed for something that many of her friends seemed to find so easily. Companionship, romance, love.

She couldn't stop thinking about those piercing blue eyes, the way his rough, calloused fingers had brushed over hers when he'd passed her his card. She could tell he was the kind of guy that didn't ask out a lot of women, but at the same time, he had a little bit of reserved confidence that helped him push past any anxieties or insecurities to ask her to go for coffee with him, all with the very possible outcome of rejection lingering between the two of them.

She wasn't sure if it was the immediate attraction she felt toward him or the idea that he had no earthly idea _who_ she was or what kind of life she led that made her heart flutter, but it was all a very nice combination. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone anywhere without being noticed. She missed those days. She loved her job, loved meeting her fans, loved her co-workers, but at the end of the day, she longed for a private life where she could share things with one person and know she could trust them completely.

But the longer she lay there, the more she began to wonder. Was he still trying to think of where he'd seen her? Was her strange behavior today enough to intrigue him to look her up. Then it hit her. All he had to do was search for her profile on social media. He'd come across fan pages and everything else.

She groaned and buried her face against the mattress.

...

Daryl flopped down into his chair with a cold beer in one hand. He stared down at the little piece of paper in his hand and wondered if it was too early to call her. He was intrigued. She was gorgeous, that he knew very well. He had eyeballs. But there was something else about her. She was a private person, that he knew. She self-protected, and he could understand that. But she'd still given him her phone number, and he was pretty sure she'd flirted with him a little.

He was used to that. Since moving to L.A., he'd had all kinds of offers, offers that would probably even make his vulgar brother Merle blush. But he didn't date. Not much, anyway. There had been a few women here and there, but he'd gone against his better judgment with some of them only to grow bored with them after the first couple dates. He wasn't proud of it, but it wasn't easy to get to know someone when the first thing they did behind closed doors was shove their tongue down his throat. They hadn't been big talkers, those women. Sure, he liked sex as much as the next guy, but he wanted more.

He certainly hadn't been expecting a beautiful woman in a broken down car at the end of his work day, but he wasn't the kind of guy to leave somebody stranded on the side of the road if he could help it. And the second she'd rolled down that window and smelled her lavender perfume and seen her gorgeous face, or whatever she allowed him to see of it under those big sunglasses, he'd been mesmerized. And she wasn't some pushover. She seemed leery of men, as if she'd had a bad experience or two in the past. She'd been a little anxious, a little paranoid, even, as if she was expecting someone to be watching her. He had to admit to himself that it had all been a little odd, but she'd genuinely been nervous, but once they'd gotten past that, she'd flirted with him a little and relaxed enough that she'd agreed to go for coffee with him.

So what was it? A date? Was he taking her on a date, or was it literally going to be just coffee? Now his own anxieties were building up, and he just wanted to hear her voice again. It wasn't too late. Only seven thirty.

He reached into his shirt pocket and grabbed his cell phone, quickly dialing her number before he psyched himself out. After two rings, she answered.

"This is Carol." Her voice was soft and warm like honey, and his heart leapt in his chest.

"Hey. It's Daryl," he said quietly.

"Oh, hey. Did you find out what's wrong with the car?"

"Uh, no," he muttered, face burning red as he rubbed the back of his neck which felt like it was about nine hundred degrees. "I ain't even looked at it yet. I just wanted to…I mean, if you're up for it, you think you wanna go get that coffee now?"

"Now?" Carol asked quietly. "Um, you know, I'm not sure that's a good idea. I have to be at work early, and…"

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't think about that. Sorry." A beat.

"I could use a drink though," she offered. His heart did a little dance.

"A drink? Yeah. Yeah, I could, too." He put his still-capped beer on the table next to his chair. "There's a couple places downtown that're pretty good."

"I was thinking…something a little more private." His stomach tightened. "I don't like big crowds."

"Me neither," he agreed. "You wanna tell me how to get to your place so I can pick ya up?"

"I can meet you there."

"You got another car?"

"No," she laughed. "I have a rental until mine's fixed. I can meet you." That was smart, he realized. She barely knew him. Why would she want to go out for drinks with him without an escape vehicle in case things went sour really fast? Not that he intended for that to happen, but he respected a woman with a plan. "One drink's my limit. I have to drive home, so we might have to sit and talk for a while."

"Sounds good," he offered. "Where you want me to meet you?" She proceeded to give him directions to a place he'd never heard of, someplace off the main drag, someplace lightly traveled. Within a half hour, he was showered, dressed and heading out the door, eager to see this fascinating woman again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Harrison's

The place was a little dive off an old highway, and there were only about four cars in the parking lot. The second he pulled up next to a small, blue, inconspicuous Honda, he had a feeling she was in that one. And he was right. She got out, dressed in a pair of skinny jeans, black boots and a dark blue top that was low cut and made his groin tighten the second he set eyes on the sparse smattering of freckles on her creamy skin.

"You found the place," she said with a bright smile. In the setting sun, her eyes sparkled. She wasn't wearing a scarf. She wasn't wearing sunglasses. She looked happy and relaxed, though he did notice her take a quick peek around, as if searching for something. But then her attention was back on him, and he stepped close to her.

"Never heard of this place."

"Oh, I know the owner," she offered. "We used to work together when I first moved to L.A." Daryl glanced up at the flickering neon sign that read "Harrison's."

"Who's Harrison?"

"Actually, it's _Andrea_ Harrison. She's a pretty smart business woman, but somebody got it into her head that nobody would come to a place called Andrea's. But the food's great, and the drinks are cheap, and I come here to relax sometimes."

"This where you hide out?"

"Sometimes," she offered with a smile. "You hungry?"

"Starvin'," he offered. "But I thought we were just drinkin'."

"Well, a first date has to have dinner, right?"

"That what this is?"

"We'll see," she said with a flirty smile and a shrug. Daryl started toward the front door, but Carol put her hand on his arm. "Not that way."

"Ain't this the entrance?"

"Yeah, but I go in through the back. I called Andrea. She's expecting us."

"Alright," he said slowly. "You're royalty."

"What?" she asked with a snort.

"You're, what, the queen of some faraway country, and you come to this little bar in the middle of California to relax and hide from the rest of the world? You got a whole team of big, burly bodyguards waitin' to tackle my ass into the dirt if I so much as touch ya."

"Oh, yes," she teased. "That's me." She turned then, cupping her hands over her mouth. "The jig is up! We're busted!" Daryl glanced around then, half expecting some secret service men to come walking out of the shadows, but instead, Carol only laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no." Carol smiled sweetly at him before she led the way around the bar to a door off to the side. After a brief knock, the door opened up, and a pretty blonde woman pulled Carol into a hug.

"It's been a while!" Andrea laughed as the two hugged tightly.

"Thanks for accommodating us tonight. It was a little short notice, I know."

"Hey, anything for my favorite patron," Andrea said with a shrug. "Come on in." She flashed a smile at Daryl before stepping into the bar and welcoming her guests inside. She shut and locked the door behind them, and Daryl looked around at the empty room. It was like a bar within a bar, complete with a booth, a pool table and a juke box. It was separate from the rest of the bar, with a wall and a set of double doors separating them from the rest of the patrons.

"You sure did mean private, didn't ya?" Daryl asked, as he and Carol settled in across from each other at a booth. Carol just gave him a little smile before she ordered her drink.

"Jack on the rocks." Daryl glanced at her before he looked up at Andrea.

"I'll have what she's havin'." They ordered their food, Carol choosing a sirloin steak with a baked potato, while Daryl went for the T-bone and potato skins, and when Andrea was gone, Daryl chuckled.

"What?"

"Didn't peg you for a straight Jack girl."

"What? You expected something fruity with an umbrella?" Daryl shrugged at that, and Carol smiled. "I like it," she said with a shrug.

"So you really ain't gonna tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Why you got a whole room to yourself at a bar? Why your car windows are tinted like you're the damned president or somethin'."

"You _really_ don't know, do you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She smiled at his silence and his truthfully oblivious stare. "It's a relief." She cleared her throat. "The last three men I've dated only had one thing in mind. Fame. They wanted to be in television or the movies." She rolled her eyes.

"You some kind of casting director?"

"I wish," she snorted. She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, before she took a deep breath. Against her better judgment, she opened her mouth, only for someone else to speak up first.

"Oh my God, you're Carol Mason! Oh my God, I love you! Olivia's my favorite. Oh my God, Andrea told me she knew somebody famous, but I didn't know it was _you!"_ Carol's eyes widened in horror as a pretty, young blonde woman came walking in with a round tray containing their drinks. Carol didn't dare look at Daryl who was staring at the young woman in surprise. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I'm…it's my first night here, and my sister's giving me one shot, but I've never met a celebrity before. Oh my God, I love you!" She put the tray down on the table with a clatter.

"Amy!" Andrea hissed from the doorway, marching in and slamming the door behind her. "You had _one_ job. One! What was it?"

"Serve the drinks and don't freak out."

"I knew you couldn't handle it," Andrea groaned.

"Oh, stop it. You know how much I love her!" Amy insisted. "It's Olivia O'Connor!"

"Carol, I'm _so_ sorry," Andrea muttered. "Try to do the kid sister a favor by giving her a job, and she totally blows it on the first night." Amy glared at her.

"It's ok," Carol offered softly. "Thank you for watching the show, Amy."

"You can go now, Amy," Andrea urged, trying to shoo her out the door.

"Fine. But, can I…can I get your autograph, Miss Mason? Please?"

"You have a cell phone?" Carol asked softly, smiling warmly at the girl. Amy's eyes went wide.

"Yes!"

"Come sit down," Carol laughed, as Amy passed her phone over to Andrea. Carol threw her arm around Amy's shoulder for the picture, and her eyes flashed to Daryl's, who sat there staring at her in the funniest cross of bewilderment and shock. She felt her face grow hot and her heart drop in that very moment, because this was it. The anonymity had been nice while it lasted.

Once the photo was taken, Amy grabbed for her phone, but Andrea held it away.

"You don't tag your location, you don't tell anybody she comes here. You understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Amy muttered. "Oh my God, thank you so much, Miss Mason. You're amazing."

"Thank you, sweetie," Carol said softly to the younger woman. And then Amy was gone, and Carol looked up at Andrea in surprise.

"That was your baby sister? Isn't she like twelve?"

"Just turned twenty two," Andrea said with a shake of her head. "Can you believe it? Carol, I'm so sorry about that."

"It's ok," Carol said with a shake of her head.

"She won't call the press or anything, but I know she's going to be fangirling for the next month," Andrea said with an eye roll. "Hey, the drinks are on the house."

"No," Carol replied with a shake of her head. "They're not."

"It's the least I could do."

"Don't worry about it, Andrea. It's ok," Carol replied softly. Andrea still looked guilty, and Carol shook her head. "I'm used to it. Don't beat yourself up." Andrea, still not looking convinced, went off to check on their food orders. Then Carol felt the silence surround her like a blanket, and she glanced up to meet his gaze. He didn't take his eyes off her as he swigged down half of his drink before putting the glass back down on the table.

Her heart sank a little deeper into her chest, and she reached for her glass, taking a sip of the cold liquid. Her hand shook when she looked up at him again. Tears prickled at her eyes, and she forced them back despite the panic bubbling just below the surface of her skin.

"Well," she said quietly, "now you know." He was still staring at her, and she couldn't read him. "Look, I should go." She pushed her drink aside and moved to get up from her seat. But as she started to walk away, she felt his fingers curl around her wrist.

"Wait. Don't go." She turned, feeling the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She looked down at him, and he cleared his throat before standing to face her. "You don't gotta leave." He nodded then. "That's where I heard your name before."

"I take it you aren't a fan of the show?" she teased.

"Don't watch much TV," he admitted. "But I heard of you. Seen your picture before, now that I think of it. Just didn't realize that was you."

"I really should go," she said with a sigh. "This was a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Look, you didn't ask for this. This is my life. People constantly coming up and asking for autographs, people following me just to take my picture, people selling stories to the tabloids."

"I didn't ask for it, but that don't mean I don't wanna get to know you," Daryl said quietly. "I get it now. Wantin' privacy. I can't imagine what it'd be like to be you. That's why you're pushin' me away, ain't it. Afraid I can't handle it?"

"You don't know me. I don't know you. We can end this—whatever it is—here and now, before it starts, and we can both walk away without getting hurt."

"You want me to walk away?" Daryl asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"It'd probably be better of you." She looked away, as he brushed his thumb over her wrist. "No, I don't. I like you. But my past relationships…"

"Well, I ain't lookin' for fame," he interrupted. "Sure as hell ain't lookin' to sell no stories. You don't gotta believe me, but I didn't have a damned clue who you were 'til just now. And I ain't runnin'. I wanna sit here with you. I wanna have dinner. I wanna know you. And when this date's over, if ya don't wanna see me again, that's fine. But don't walk away just 'cause your secret's out." Carol paused there, blood thrumming through her veins as his calloused fingers brushed over the pulse point on her wrist. "Come on. Take a chance. You gotta trust somebody sometime. Whaddya say?"

 _Take a chance. He's right. Do it. You won't ever know if you don't try._

Finally, she moved back toward her seat, and he let go of her wrist. She settled back down across from him and took a sip of her drink.

"Alright," she said with a nod. "But you've been warned. Things can get crazy."

"Life's crazy. I can handle it."

"You shouldn't have to _handle_ it," she said quietly. "I'm a very private person. You can Google me. There's not a lot there except for what people have sold. Some of it's true, some of it isn't, and that's why I have very few friends, why I don't let people get close. It sucks, but that's just the way it has to be."

"That's bullshit," Daryl said quietly. Carol narrowed her eyes at him. "Just an excuse to not let people get close. Sayin' you can't trust people. You can't trust _all_ people, but you can trust _some_. You can be happy. You can have a life. You can. Fuck the tabloids. Who gives a shit? They can say what they want, but they don't know you any better than some stranger on the street." Daryl eyed her. "You say you can't trust people, but you trusted me enough to meet me here tonight. Why? 'Cause I didn't know you? 'Cause I wasn't askin' for an autograph? I don't care about that shit, either, for the record."

Carol flinched at his forwardness, but it was refreshing, to say the least. Nobody had talked to her like that for a long time, mostly because everybody around her—except for a select few like Michonne or Andrea—tried to kiss her ass. She couldn't get to know them, because they only let her see a side they wanted her to see. Then came the betrayal. Then came the awful process of moving on. But Daryl was different. As much as she could tell about a person from first impressions, he wasn't in awe of her fame. He wasn't looking for a handout or a hand up. He truly just wanted to sit there and have a drink with her and finish this date.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she convinced herself to open herself up to being vulnerable again. She took a deep breath, swallowed hard and glanced across the room before looking back at Daryl.

"You play pool, Daryl?"

"Yeah. I play a little," he said with a little smirk.

"Good," she said, drinking down the last of her drink. She stood up, wiping her shaking, sweaty hands on the sides of her jeans. She reached her hand out for his, and he took it. "The best way to get to know somebody is over a game of pool. But be warned, I'm pretty good." She saw the smirk curl up at the corner of his mouth.

"I don't doubt that," he replied, eyes steady on hers, filled with a surprising amount of confidence. She shivered under his gaze and the heat behind his eyes. "I've won more than a few games in my time. You sure you wanna go up against me?"

"You wanna put your money where your mouth is? Ten bucks a ball?" she replied with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"Nah," he replied, giving her hand a squeeze and pulling her in close. "Don't gamble on the first date. Least not with money." There went those shivered again, all up and down her spine as a spark of heat pulled directly to her core.

She blushed then, stepping toward him just enough that he could reach out for her. And he pulled her in suddenly, one arm at the small of her back while he moved his other hand up, catching her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face toward his. Their gazes met briefly before he pressed his lips against hers in a quick but tender kiss. It was short, sweet and just enough to tell her that he was serious and not playing some angle like the other guys she'd dated. And then he let her go, walked around the table and grabbed a pool cue, looking back over at her to see her standing there in stunned silence. "You wanna break first?" She blinked herself back to reality before she narrowed her eyes at him and crinkled her nose.

"You can go first," she urged with a sweet laugh. "You're gonna need all the help you can get, sunshine."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: First Date

Daryl made the first break and sunk one stripe in the process. Carol watched the way his shirt clung to his back when he leaned over the table to line up his shot. She watched the way his fingers tightened around the cue, the way his arms tightened as he concentrated, the way his gaze zeroed in on the triangle before he made the first shot.

"Not bad," she murmured, walking around behind him, sneaking a peak at his ass in those jeans. He glanced over his shoulder, completely oblivious the double meaning of her words. "You're pretty good."

"Used to play pool with my brother. It was really the only thing we did much of together, 'cept for huntin'. Merle liked to drink, so we'd go to the bars, he'd get drunk, and I'd kick his ass at the pool table. I got pretty good."

"Where were you born?"

"Grew up in Decatur. Had all these damned interstates around. Merle was all the time runnin' off and hitchin' rides. One time, he said he ended up all the way down in Florida. My dad drove all the way down, picked his ass up in jail and high tailed it back to Georgia. Merle was 'bout fourteen, and I swear my dad thought about puttin' bars on his windows. He was bad." Carol laughed at that.

"You weren't too far from me," she said quietly. "I lived in Alpharetta, but I spent a lot of time in Atlanta."

"I didn't get out to the city that much. We lived out in the country. My daddy was the sheriff there. Mama died when I was ten, so it was just us. Her and Merle were close, so he kinda went wild after she died."

"I'm sorry," Carol said softly. He balled his fists over the end of his cue stick and rested his chin atop them. He gave her a little half smile.

"It was a long time ago."

"Your dad? He's still around?"

"Yeah, he retired early. He moved down to Florida. Probably chasin' after the women like he did in Georgia after my mom died. He wasn't the same after that, you know?"

"I'd imagine not."

"Anyway, I stayed in school, 'cause I figured one of us should, and I went to a tech school. Merle cleaned himself up as best as Merle could, and we moved out to L.A. Merle was convinced he'd get in good with some hot movie star and live in the lap of luxury."

"Oh, I know the type," Carol snorted. "I've dated the type."

"Well, he sleeps on my couch some nights, when he ain't pissin' off his girlfriend, Paula. Me? I live above the shop. Merle makes it into work most days, but not always." He shrugged, and Carol shook her head.

"Why do you put up with it?"

"With what? With him? He's my brother. He ain't a bad guy. He's just an asshole. Out here, he's the only family I got."

"Yeah," Carol said with a little chuckle. "I get it."

"Your shot," he offered with a nod toward the pool table. Carol grabbed her cue and leaned over the table, lining up and sinking two solids. "Shit."

"I warned you," she teased, as Daryl moved to try to make a corner pocket shot. He scratched the second he caught a whiff of Carol's perfume when she leaned over the table next to him.

"Christ." He stood then, trying to maintain a little dignity, knowing that if Merle could see him in that moment, he'd be laughing his ass off and calling his baby brother a pussy. "So, what about you?"

"Me?" Carol laughed. "Well, like I said. I'm also from Georgia. I was a good kid, I guess. I didn't have any siblings to get into trouble with. My parents were older, and I was a big surprise, and they were pretty protective of me. But they were proud. I loved to read, and as soon as I hit high school, I joined the drama club, and I knew that was it for me. I studied theater in high school, and my parents saved up to surprise me with a one way ticket to Los Angeles as a graduation present. They basically shipped me off, telling me they knew that it was my dream, and I waitressed for a good six months before I even got an audition anywhere. I ended up doing a lot of plays at a few prestigious theaters. I caught the eye of a talent scout when I was playing Hermia in A Midsummer's Night Dream. You ever see that play?"

"Uh…must have missed that one in high school," he chuckled. Carol smiled then.

"Well, I did a few short films, a few commercials."

"Yeah? Any I'd remember ya from?"

"Oh, let me think," Carol said slowly, leaning over to line up her shot and sinking another solid into a corner pocket. Daryl's shoulders slumped, and Carol smiled. "I did a toothpaste commercial once." She smiled a wide, cheesy smile and held her hands up like she was holding a small item. "Pearly White for your pearly whites."

"God," he snorted. "That's bad."

"Oh, you know it. It isn't a wonder that brand didn't last long," she laughed. "You're up." He easily sank another stripe, as Carol walked around the table. "I did a face cream commercial and a couple of shampoo commercial. I was the girl with the frizzy hair that couldn't seem to figure out how to brush the wild jungle on top of her head. Yeah, my proudest moment."

"Yeah, yeah, I remember that one," he laughed. "You were hot."

"Oh yeah. You liked that? You should see my bed head first thing in the morning." She blushed at her own words, and Daryl smirked as she leaned down to make her shot. This time, she scratched, but she only had herself to blame for walking right into that last zinger. "Anyway…I did a couple of short roles in some TV movies before I auditioned for _Apocalypse, California_. I don't think any of us expected it to take off like it did."

One of the double doors opened, and Andrea came through holding a tray containing their food.

"You want to call it now?"

"Call what?" Daryl asked. "The game?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's obvious who's winning."

"No it ain't," he snorted.

"Oh, come on. I'm kind of kicking your ass," Carol teased, stepping toward him, one hand on her pool cue, one hand on her hip.

"I think we should eat first. I gotta keep my strength up," Daryl chuckled. "Then we'll see who's kickin' who's ass."

"Yeah," Carol replied with a grin. "We'll see." She winked at him then, and he felt like the floor dropped out from under him. He held onto the pool cue for a moment, and it scraped against the floor under the pressure of his hand.

Carol made her way back to the booth, and he couldn't help but check out her ass in those jeans. Was the woman really this perfect? Beautiful smile, gorgeous eyes, fantastic figure, pool player extraordinaire, and most importantly, she seemed to be as interested in him as he was in her.

"Hey, you two wanna hurry it along? I've got Brad and Angelina coming in an hour."

"Shit, really?" Daryl asked, looking over at the bar owner. Andrea snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Are you kidding? Take your time, guys. Enjoy the food." She flashed Carol a little wink as she set the dishes down on the table, and then she was gone, leaving the two alone again.

"Alright, let's go eat," Carol laughed. "I can kick your ass later."

"That was embarrassing," Daryl snorted, as they walked out of the bar together. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and Carol clutched at her purse. They walked slowly together, around the side of the bar.

"Hey, I told you I was good," Carol offered with a shrug.

"You are," he concurred. The parking lot light above his truck and Carol's rental car had dimmed considerably and was now flickering, buzzing with warning that it was about to fizzle out. "You'll be alright to drive?"

"Mmm. We were there—what—two hours? Yeah. I'll be fine."

"I'd hate to see you in the tabloids tomorrow," he said with a smirk. "I know they love a good DUI story."

"Well, that's something we _don't_ have to worry about," Carol chuckled, keys jingling in her hand as they stepped between his truck and the car. "I had a lot of fun tonight, Daryl."

"I did, too." He leaned against the side of his truck, hands still stuffed in his pockets. "Wasn't so bad, was it? Openin' up to somebody?"

"No, it was…well, it was really nice, actually," Carol chuckled softly. I really haven't had many people to confide in. I have my friend Michonne. I have Andrea. My parents, of course, but they're so far away. Aside from that, it's hard to let people in."

"Don't talk to many people. Got Merle, but that ain't the same. 'Sides, he ain't exactly the kinda guy that likes to have heart to hearts." Carol smiled at that. "Like I said, he's an asshole." Carol sighed then, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Daryl watched her. He watched the way her shoulders hitched, the way her arms curled about herself, the way she bit her lip and her cheeks flushed under the flickering lamplight. "You cold?"

"I'm fine," she blushed, taking a tentative step toward him. "Just nervous." She swallowed hard as he stepped toward her, closing the gap.

"You think you might wanna try a second date?"

"Is this you asking?"

"Yeah, this is me, askin'." Carol smiled then, biting her lip again, and Daryl felt his stomach coil into knots waiting on her response. Just looking into those big, beautiful, blue eyes was enough to make him feel like he was drowning in her. His head felt a little funny, like the world was spinning though he was standing steady on his own two feet.

"I'd like that," she said softly. He brushed his hand over her arm, and she trembled under his touch. "But I'm not sure I'm ready for this one to be over, yet."

"Me neither," he admitted.

"It's getting late," she murmured. "It's probably a bad idea." She took one more step toward him, and his fingertips brushed against her waist, over the curve of her hipbones, and she shivered.

"Maybe," he murmured, looking down, watching the way the shadows crossed her face under the fading lamplight. He brought his fingertips to her chin, tilting her face up toward his. He knew asking her to go home would further take her out of her comfort zone. This was new and fragile, and he already felt himself falling for her, but he didn't want to scare the hell out of her. He didn't want to push her. And as much as he wanted to kiss her, he knew that it would probably only confuse her further. He wanted _her_ to make the next step for herself, and it took everything inside of him to keep from kissing her when he saw her lick those pretty, pink lips.

She leaned up then, finding his mouth in a tentative, tender kiss, moving her hands up his chest and over his broad shoulders, sighing when she felt his hands move back to her waist, fingers digging in gently and pulling her closer.

Her arms wrapped around his neck then, and she opened herself up to him, sighing as his tongue danced with hers, as her heart raced against her chest, mirroring his own thundering heartbeat. Her fingertips trembled as she grazed over the line of his jaw, and he clutched her closer then. He tasted like whisky, and she felt drunk for the first time that night, warm and flushed, swimmy in the head, unsteady and absolutely free.

He held her closer, still, and she pulled back to take a breath. She felt the warmth of his lips against her forehead, and she buried her face against his chest. This guy, this stranger she'd known for less than a day, this man who she'd been reluctant to even get to know because of how badly she'd been burned in the past, was breaking through all the caution tape she'd wrapped around her heart, and she knew she was going to fall fast if she didn't hold on tight. Still, letting go would be so easy to do.

Maybe she'd get burned. Maybe he would. But if she didn't _try_ she'd never know. She took a shivering breath before she looked back up into his eyes.

"You'll be alright to get home?" he asked, pulling back to search her eyes in the ever-dwindling lamplight. It was almost gone now. She nodded then, pausing briefly before she reached out and stroked her fingertips over his wrist. And when the light above finally faded to darkness, Carol wrapped her fingers around his and gave his hand a squeeze.

"I don't want to go home."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

He'd offered for her to ride with him, and she'd almost taken him up on it. But then the voice of reason had set in, reminding her that she needed to drive herself so she could then drive herself home. Her stomach was twisted into a mass of knots, and she didn't know what to expect when they got back to Daryl's place. But her fingers were white-knuckling the steering wheel, and her heart was doing a tap dance inside of her chest.

When Daryl slowed and pulled into a small parking lot, Carol followed and parked next to him. The side of the building was brick, and a worn sign read _Dixon Bros. Detailing & Repairs_ creaked on the rusted hinges of the chain it hung on. Carol got out of the car and wrapped her arms around herself, stepping over to lean against the door frame. Daryl took a puff on the last bit of his smoldering cigarette before stubbing it out in the ash tray. He then proceeded to throw his head back and pop a few Tic-Tacs in his mouth for good measure. Carol smiled at the gesture, and she watched as he leaned forward to peek up at the dark windows of the apartment above the shop.

"Good," Daryl murmured, sliding out of the truck.

"What?"

"He ain't here. Guess him and Paula made up," he smirked. "You cold?"

"I'm good," she promised.

"It ain't much. Ain't nothin' like what you're used to, I'm sure."

"Those things don't matter to me," she replied. "Honestly, my dream is to just run away from all of this one day, live in a cabin in the woods and just have nothing but privacy."

"You ain't gotta run to do that. I know a few places. I can take ya sometime, if you want." Carol smiled then, and she followed Daryl around the back. His keys jingled for a moment as he fought against the moonlight to see the keyhole. After a minute, he had the door open, and he flicked on the light, flooding the downstairs, revealing Carol's car with the hood popped. "First thing on my list tomorrow. Promise."

"Thanks," Carol chuckled. "I appreciate the help."

"Stairs are back this way," Daryl said with a nod, showing her the way with a glance before following behind her.

The wooden steps creaked under their feet, and when Daryl reached around Carol to put his key in the apartment door, she shivered when she felt his breath on the back of her neck. His grabbed his keys from the knob and turned it, letting the door swing open. The smell of cinnamon and charred wood greeted them, and Carol raised an eyebrow in surprise. Daryl reached around her and flicked on a light, flooding the place with a soft, warm light. A bowl of potpourri on the counter by the door was a surprising touch, and she smiled when she walked past it, breathing in the warm, cinnamon scent. Daryl put his keys down with a clatter and closed the door, locking it and dead bolting it. Carol turned to eye him.

"Merle don't have the key to the deadbolt," he admitted. "If he shows up, he'll take the hint." Carol smiled nervously, and Daryl pushed his hair back out of his face. "Not that he'd be interruptin' anything. I don't want ya to think that's the reason I brought you back here." His face reddened a little. Carol chuckled and stepped closer to him.

"Relax," she said softly. This was new. He'd been pretty relaxed all night, but now that they were here in his house, his private space, he was suddenly a little awkward and nervous. Watching him fidget was incredibly sweet.

She put her purse down on the counter next to his keys and took a step down the hall toward the big, open living room.

"This is nice," she said thoughtfully, stepping toward the fireplace. "Use this much?"

"Sometimes," he offered, stepping close to her. "You want somethin' to drink?"

"Water's fine. I'm cutting myself off," she chuckled.

"Water sounds good."

"Hey, if you want a drink, don't let me stop you."

"You tryin' to get me drunk?" he asked with a smirk.

"Oh, maybe," she teased, flashing him a smile before he disappeared down the hall toward the kitchen. She shivered then, moving to peek out the window, looking down into the street as a car passed by. She bit her lip, feeling a little anxious in her new surroundings. She wasn't the kind of woman who often went home with a man she'd just met. But Daryl was different. Everything inside of her that generally screamed 'run away' was either sleeping or lazy, because she was at ease with him, or at least as at ease as she could be on a first date.

"Make yourself comfortable," he offered. "Remote's by the couch." Carol settled onto the old, leather couch and immediately felt as if she'd been swallowed up by the cushions. The leather smell filled her nostrils, and she sighed happily, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back and relaxed.

Daryl returned a few moments later with a couple bottles of water, and Carol graciously grabbed one and took a sip.

"See this is nice. I like it."

"It ain't much," he said with a shrug.

"Mine's too much for one person. I have a guest room that's never used, a pool that I swim in maybe once a year, and I have other rooms that I just never go into."

"So why don't ya sell?"

"You know, that's a good question," she chuckled. "It's within twenty minutes of the studio. It's quiet. Gated."

"Private," he offered.

"Save for the low flying helicopters."

"They do that?"

"Oh, they do that," she muttered. "After my last boyfriend claimed I was cheating on him with one of my co-stars, the paparazzi tried so hard to get proof. I mean, it was ridiculous. This is the kind of life I live, Daryl. I mean, people will climb trees just to get a good shot."

"Is this you tryin' to scare me off?" he challenged, scooting closer to her on the couch. She shivered when she felt his arm go around her shoulders, and she smiled up at him when his fingers grazed over her arm.

"No, this is me being honest," she said quietly, turning a little, tucking her feet under her as she gazed up at him. "I like you. I do. And it's a little scary, because I don't generally let myself open up to people. But I feel like I can with you. I want to." Daryl licked his lips then, watching the way her eyes sparkled in the yellowed light of the room. "I feel something here."

"You ain't the only one," he said quietly, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "I wanna see you again."

"Are you sure?" she asked quietly. "Because this is…it won't be easy."

"Sometimes the stuff worth havin' ain't easy," he pointed out. "I ain't interested in you 'cause you're some big celebrity. I'm interested in the woman I helped on the side of the road today. Don't care about no big houses or magazines covers. Just wanna spend some time with you." He felt her shiver then, and he leaned in to press his lips to hers. She relaxed into the kiss, bringing one arm around his neck, gently feathering her fingers through his hair. He pulled back then, watching the smile tug at her lips. "I'm willin' to see where it goes if you are." Carol shivered again, nodding a little this time. "I ain't gonna ask if you trust me. That's gotta come with time. Just gonna ask you to give me a chance. Can ya do that?" She nodded again, scooting in a little closer before her lips were on his, and she was sighing softly into his mouth.

"Yeah. I think I can do that."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Playing with Fire

This was a first. Her hands were buried in his hair, and the stubble on his chin was scratching her belly, and all she could focus on was how her stomach seemed to flip every time his tongue or lips caressed the flesh around her belly button.

She bit back a giggle, back arching as she closed her eyes and focused on how his hands tugged at her thighs and how each hot puff of breath against her skin had her core throbbing.

One hand was snaked between her thighs, and she could feel his fingers wriggling there, scratching at the seam, pressing against her and feeling her heat through the material of her jeans.

"Daryl," she gasped, sitting up a little. He looked up then, resting his chin on her belly. "We should probably…probably slow down a little." Daryl smirked then, pressing one more kiss to her belly before he pulled her shirt back down and crawled back up, settling between her legs on the couch. She moaned softly the second his hips settled against hers. He was hard, and it probably wouldn't have taken much friction at that point to send both of them over the edge.

She panted softly under him, fingers trailing up over his jaw before curling into his hair again. And then his mouth was on hers again, and she gasped against his mouth the moment his teeth nibbled at her bottom lip. This his tongue dipped into her mouth, teasing her own, tasting her as her hands moved up his back, nails digging in when his hips jerked briefly against hers. The things Daryl Dixon could do this that tongue only served to fuel her naughtiest fantasies.

"God," she panted, as his kisses trailed down her jaw and neck. He suckled at the hollow of her throat as his fingertips skimmed under her shirt, begging permission but not taking more than he was allowed. He groaned against her neck when her hands moved into his hair again, and she drew his face toward his for another kiss.

Her heart thundered in her chest, and she felt dizzy, as if the room was spinning, and with her back pinned against the couch and her legs parted, hips cradling his as he lay against her, his weight a comforting pressure, she felt completely safe in a way that could easily send her running for the hills. Too safe. Too much. Too easy to fall right over the edge and into the abyss.

"Where you at?" he asked, when her hands stilled at his back, and her breaths slowed. He pulled back, looking into her eyes, stroking his calloused fingertips along her cheek and then through her short brown hair, watching the way her lips curled into a gentle smile.

"I'm here," she whispered. "Kiss me." And he did, hips moving against hers again, erection painful as he pressed into her, feeling the heat of her core through his jeans at hers. He panted against her lips then, resting his forehead against hers as he fought to keep from completely losing it. "You ok?"

"Yeah," he murmured, kissing her again, listening to the heady sounds of her moans when her hips bucked against his. He moaned against her mouth, sucking her lip between his teeth as he rocked his hips against hers, desperately longing to see what was under those clothes, to feel her heat surround him, to feel the pressure of her walls squeezing him of every last drop. Sweet Christ, the thought nearly sent him reeling.

Her hands were on the move again, sliding down his back and over his ass, giving him a squeeze. Her chest heaved, and he buried his face against the crook of her neck, kissing her there as she curled one leg tightly around his hip, bringing him closer, pulling his groin harder against her. The friction was almost too much, and she was beginning to feel the familiar, heady rush of blood, the contractions of her walls just below, the clenching of her stomach muscles as she hurtled shameless toward the edge.

Her eyes went wide when he thrust against her, no doubt trying to find a little relief himself despite the barriers of their clothes. Her breath caught in her throat, and she knew what was happening. She couldn't stop it if she wanted to. Her nails bit into his lower back, and her mouth fell open as the flush spread over her face and the pressure inside reached a breaking point. She cried out then, suddenly, and he pulled back to watch her eyes screw shut tightly, lips parting in a muted cry before her tongue darted out to wet her lips and she collapsed a little beneath him.

 _Oh my God. That didn't just happen_.

She covered her face with her hands then, suddenly realizing what they'd done...how her body had reacted, and she was suddenly not sure if she should be mortified or begging him to rip her clothes off.

"Did you just…"

"Yeah," she murmured, coiling her arms around his neck and burying her face against his neck. "I'm sorry."

"What're you sayin' sorry for?" he chuckled against her hair. "Ain't never made a woman come that fast before. 'Specially not with all her clothes on." Carol laughed against his neck then, and Daryl relished the sound. His dick was hard as a rock, begging for release, and he took a few slow breaths, calming his racing heart and slowing the rush of blood that seemed to be running directly to his penis.

"It's been a while," she admitted. "I just…kind of lost it." She swallowed hard, and Daryl pulled away from her, giving her some space. She sat up then, hands trembling as she threaded her fingers through her hair. Her gaze dropped to his lap, unable to ignore the bulge in his jeans. She licked her lips then and heard him groan. Their eyes met, and she reached for his thigh, giving it a squeeze.

"You ain't gotta…" His fingers curled around her wrist to tug her hand away.

"I feel bad," she pouted, moving toward him then, crawling into his lap, curling her arms around his shoulders. His gaze traveled southward, dipping into the front of her shirt, imagining how the soft skin of her breasts might taste, wondering how sensitive her nipples were, wondering if he could make her come just by sucking them. And suddenly, he was harder than before, and he groaned when she shifted in his lap.

"Fuck," he panted, head falling back on the couch, as Carol reached between them and cupped his raging erection.

"You want me to?" she asked, giving him a squeeze.

"Holy shit," he groaned, hips bucking against her hand. "You have no fuckin' idea how much I want you to." Carol smiled then, and she moved her hands up his chest, pushing back on his shoulders so he'd lean back against the couch. She straddled his hips with her knees, moving to toy with the buckle of his belt. She leaned in then, kissing him hungrily, sighing against his lips when his fingers dug into her hips. She was just beginning to work his belt loose when a heavy thud at the door startled them both.

Carol pulled back, panting heavily as Daryl focused to remember his own name. Another bang at the door.

" _What the fuck, Darylina?!"_

"Aw, son of a bitch," Daryl bit out. "Fuckin' Merle." He leaned his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe he'll go away?" Carol offered.

"Pfft, you kiddin'? He ain't goin' away." Another thud at the door.

" _You best get yer hand off yer dick and let me in, boy."_

"God damn it," Daryl groaned, as Carol slowly slid off of his lap and settled back against the couch. Daryl's hands curled into fists at his sides as he silently prayed for either his erection or Merle to go away. Two more pounds on the door was about all it took for the mood to go scampering into the night. Daryl stood then, adjusting his belt before he ran his fingers through his hair. "M'sorry. I'll get rid of him." He watched as she looked around anxiously. He nodded his head toward the back of the apartment. "My room's back there. Go on. He ain't gonna see you. I'll get rid of him real quick, but I can't guarantee he ain't gonna come in." Carol nodded her thanks to Daryl, hurrying off to his bedroom, feeling a bit foolish but knowing it was necessary to hide, lest Daryl's 'asshole' brother recognize her.

Daryl heard his bedroom door latch and took a deep breath before making his way back to the door. He unlocked the deadbolt and opened it wide enough to see Merle standing there with a half-empty bottle of Jack in one hand and a duffel bag in the other.

"Aw, hell, what'd you do this time?"

"Well, she saw me talkin' to some hot blonde at the bar, and she got a little mad."

"What the hell's wrong with you, Merle?" Daryl muttered.

"I got eyes. Can't help it if they wanna look at somethin' attractive."

"You're an idiot," Daryl muttered, shaking his head.

"So, you gonna let me crash on the couch or what?"

"Ain't a good night, bro." He put his foot in the doorway to keep Merle from stepping in.

"What you mean it ain't a good night? I own this garage."

"Co-own. And you ain't never here. I got company," Daryl pointed out.

"Oh, the little blue Honda? Yeah, I seen it. Who's your friend, Darylina?" Merle wiggled his brows, and Daryl sighed. "She let you put the tip in yet? She know what she's dealin' with? She know the Dixon men are 'well-equipped?'

"You're drunk." Daryl made a quick swipe for the keys that were dangling from Merle's pocket. "You can sleep it off in your truck."

"You asshole," Merle laughed. "Oh, c'mon, baby brother. You ain't gonna let 'ole Merle sleep outside in L.A., are ya?"

"Yeah, I think I am. Don't break your neck goin' down the stairs." With that, Daryl shut the door and locked it before tossing Merle's keys onto the counter.

"You pussy!" Merle slurred, kicking the door before he started back down the stairs mumbling something about how Daryl wouldn't know what to do with a woman if she had her legs open and was begging him to fuck her. Daryl groaned, and turned back down the hall, slipping into his bedroom to find her pacing the floor by his bed. She froze when she saw him.

"M'sorry about that."

"It's ok," she offered. "I…I should probably go."

"You can wait 'til he passes out in his truck. Once he's out, he's out. He ain't gonna know you're here."

"You didn't have to do that for me," Carol said softly.

"Merle watches more TV than anybody I know. He'd probably recognize ya, and I didn't want ya to have to deal with that tonight. You already had enough of that back at the bar." Carol smiled softly then and took a step toward him.

"I had a good time tonight," she said quietly, reaching out to softly rub her hand over his arm.

"But…you're leavin'."

"I should," she said quietly. "I have to be on set early tomorrow." She saw the disappointment in his eyes, disappointment he tried to hide with an understanding nod. "I'd like to see you again." Her eyes flashed wickedly toward his, lips pouting slightly before a little smile curled at the corners. "Maybe next time we can try it with fewer clothes."

His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat at her words, and he could do nothing but nod dumbly. She smiled wider then, stepping up to wrap her arms around his neck, feeling him tremble under her touch. There was no denying that she was falling fast here, and it scared the hell out of her. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw the reflection of her own desire; saw the need for companionship, the need to be close to someone who wanted to be close to her, too.

"When can I see ya again?" he asked, pulling her closer, hands skimming gently over her lower back.

"Is tomorrow soon enough?" she asked with a little laugh. "I go in early for a table read. I should be done by noon."

"Ain't soon enough," he smirked, pulling her closer, letting her feel what she did to him just being so near. She bit her lip before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. She felt bad, honestly. She wanted to do something for him, but he was being too nice to ask for it. Still, she knew she needed to go or else she wouldn't be much use at work in the morning. "You'll be alright gettin' home?"

"I'll be ok," she promised. "I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" He answered her with a kiss, and she sighed against his lips, pulling him in closer, feeding the flames that scorched every last nerve ending. She wanted more, and she could easily give into those cravings, but she knew that she needed to give herself some breathing room. "I gotta go."

"Or you could stay," he offered with a teasing grin.

"Don't tempt me," she laughed, pressing one last kiss to his lips before she tore herself away.

"I'll walk ya out," he offered, placing his hand to the small of her back, needing to touch her, needing to feel her warmth under his fingertips.

And when they got downstairs and out to her car, Daryl took a peek into Merle's old truck, only to find him passed out in the cab.

"Is he gonna be ok in there?" Carol asked softly, concern creasing her brow.

"He'll be fine. He's slept in worse places." Carol chuckled softly before they kissed goodbye, and when she finally pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home, it took everything in her to not turn that car right back around and take him up on his offer to stay the night. It would be easy. So easy. And she knew that's why she needed to keep on driving.

...

"So, how'd it go?" Michonne asked over the phone, as Carol sat on the couch in her trailer with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.

"It was great," Carol said softly, blowing over the top of the lid before taking a sip of the hot liquid.

"Great? That's all I get?"

"As first dates go, it couldn't have gone better."

"Look at you being all mysterious," Michonne laughed. "I need details."

"You need a man," Carol pointed out.

"Hey, let me live vicariously. Come on," Michonne urged.

"Oh, fine," Carol sighed. "I took him to Harrison's. I picked the night Andrea's little sister started working."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah, uh-oh. So, my cover was blown pretty quickly, and he wasn't freaked out or anything. I think he was a little…overwhelmed. But then I kicked his ass at pool, and we went back to his place."

"Oh, tell me more. Tell me more."

"Nothing happened, Michonne," Carol said innocently. "Well, some stuff happened, but it's…we didn't." She sighed heavily.

"Well, that's ok. You don't know the guy. You did the right thing, waiting."

"Yeah, but _God,_ I could have done the wrong thing, and I think I'd be a much happier person this morning." Michonne laughed on the other line. "I really like him."

"I'm glad," Michonne said softly. "You think he's ok? I mean, you trust him?"

"I...I was comfortable with him. I don't know how to explain it." She sighed and took another sip of coffee, savoring the taste, the heat, the comfort of it.

"So, you're really gonna do this? You're gonna take a chance?"

"I won't know if I don't," Carol said softly. "I mean, maybe I'll get burned again. Maybe it'll end badly. But…"

"But maybe it won't," Michonne finished, receiving a small hum in agreement from Carol. "Damn, that must have been _some_ first date." Carol laughed just as someone tapped on her trailer door.

"Hey, I've gotta go. Work calls."

"Alright. Have fun. Call me later."

"Bye," Carol replied with a chuckle, ending the call. Another tap at the door.

"Yeah, I'm coming," she called.

"Carol, it's me." It was Glenn Rhee, one of her co-stars.

"Oh, hey. Come in," she called, getting up off the couch and swallowing down another couple gulps of coffee. Glenn stepped into the trailer and pushed his black hair back out of his face. She smirked and thought about telling him to get a haircut since he was pushing it out of his face so much. But she knew he was growing it long for a reason, so she refrained.

"Did you see this?" Glenn asked, holding his phone out.

"No, what is it now," she groaned. "Do I want to know?"

"Somebody snapped a picture of you on the freeway yesterday. You had car trouble? You could've called me."

"Shit," Carol groaned. "I didn't see any paparazzi."

"No, it's grainy. Probably a zealous fan spotted you and whipped their cell phone out real quick." He handed her the phone, and there she was, with Daryl on the side of the road. It was harder to make out Daryl's face, but it was certainly him, and there she was trying to be incognito. The headline read _Damsel in Distress? Apocalypse, California Star Gets Roadside Assistance from Hunky Mechanic._

"Oh, God," she groaned. "They don't stop, do they?"

"You ok? I saw you driving a different car today."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just car trouble. It's being taken care of." She gave him a reassuring smile. "Are they waiting?"

"Yeah," Glenn replied with a grin. "But you know they're always willing to wait until you finish your coffee."

"Ha," Carol snorted. "Alright. Tell them I'll be right there."

"You sure you're ok? You look exhausted."

"Well, it's a good thing we're not shooting today. I don't have the patience to sit in the makeup chair to cover these dark circles."

"Well, you're still beautiful to me," he replied from the doorway. "And I say that as a happily married man. You're beautiful."

"You're sweet," Carol said with a smile. "Go on. Tell them I'll be along in a minute. I'm right behind you." Glenn nodded then and stepped out of the trailer, letting the door shut behind him. Carol started to follow, but her phone buzzed, and she grabbed for it, finding a text from Daryl. Her face lit up, and she quickly read through the message.

 _Morning. Hope you slept ok. Just woke up. Had a long night…if you know what I mean. Took me a while to fall asleep. Getting ready to work on your car. Tell me I'll see you again tonight?_

Carol smiled, biting her lip before she tapped out a reply.

 _Yeah, I know what you mean. ;) And you'll definitely be seeing me later._

The smile spread over her face as she put her phone in her back pocket. Feeling lighter than air and suddenly very awake, she started out of her trailer and across the lot to the studio, anxious to get this work day over with.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Paparazzi

Daryl couldn't help but notice the same guy walking past the shop door at least eight times that afternoon. He was starting to get more than a little annoyed, especially since every time the guy walked by, he peeked in the glass door as if looking for something. No. Someone. It wasn't until he started to the back of the shop to take a piss that he noticed the man holding a camera in one hand and holding a cell phone up to his ear.

"Shit." He quickly grabbed for his phone and tapped out a message.

 _Think somebody's onto you. Some asshole's been outside the shop all morning._

About thirty seconds later, his phone buzzed in his hand.

 _Damn. I was afraid of that._

A moment later, a second text came through with a link. Daryl clicked on it, and the article with the picture of him helping her on the side of the road popped up.

 _See, that's what you get for doing a good deed for a stranger. I'm sorry. But, hey, maybe it'll be good for business._

Daryl snorted at that and quickly dialed Carol's number.

"Hey, "she said softly. "I'm sorry."

"You ain't got nothin' to be sorry about. You want me to bring your car to ya?"

"No," she said slowly, carefully. "I'll come get it." She sighed and shook her head. "It might be best if we don't see each other for a couple of days."

"Why?"

"These guys will do anything for a story. If they even think there's anything remotely going on between us, they'll find a way to get a picture and spin whatever story they want to tell." A beat. "I told you my life's crazy."

"Whaddya wanna do, then?"

"I'll have Michonne swing by and get me. She's used to this. I can drive out, and then maybe you can meet me someplace later?"

"Where?" he wondered.

"Mmm, I'll think of something," she offered.

"Alright. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah," she promised. "I'm almost finished here. Give me an hour, and I'll be there."

"Alright. You sure you don't want me to run these guys off, 'cause I know I ain't used my crossbow in a while, but my aim's probably still good enough to scare the hell outta these pricks."

"No, it's fine," she laughed. "It'll be fine."

"Hey," he said quietly, voice low and even, comforting.

"Yeah?"

"I can take crazy. Trust me, I ain't gonna be scared off by a few flashing cameras."

"It gets old after a while. Are you sure about that?" She chewed her lip and waited for his response.

"M'sure," he promised. "I'll see ya soon."

...

"Ms. Mason, was anyone involved in the incident with your car yesterday? Was it an accident? Were you injured?" Carol kept walking down the sidewalk with Michonne as the paparazzo kept asking her questions. She hated ignoring people, but these guys were ridiculous. At the same time, she knew they were only doing their job, and this sort of came with the territory when one was starring on a wildly popular television show.

"Doesn't this jerk have anything better to do?" Michonne asked quietly, leaning in toward her friend. Carol shifted anxiously before they stepped into the shop. The glass in the door shook as Carol pushed it shut. She didn't see her car, so she figured it was out back, and she glanced at Michonne.

"Let me just pay him, and…"

"Does it seem a little weird?" Michonne asked. "You two get all hot and heavy last night, and now you're paying him?"

"Oh, shut up," Carol snorted with a laugh. "He fixed my car. Of course I'm going to pay him. Besides, it's not like we actually…you know." She cleared her throat when she heard the groan of steps, and she looked up to see Daryl coming down the stairs from his apartment. He was wearing a dark blue button down shirt with the sleeves cut off. It was smudged with oil and grease, and his muscled arms were slick with sweat. Her gaze flashed to Michonne, who was standing there staring with her mouth hanging open just a little. She cleared her throat and nudged her friend.

"Jesus," Michonne murmured. "That grainy cell phone picture didn't do him justice." Carol blushed at that, and then her face felt hotter when she saw him staring at her when he stepped off the stair steps.

"Ladies," he said with a nod.

"Daryl," Carol smiled. "This is my friend Michonne."

"Nice to meet ya," he said with a nod, wiping his hands on a red rag that he'd grabbed from his back pocket.

"You, too, I'm sure," Michonne said with an amused smile. "So, this must be new for you."

"Sorry?"

"The annoying guy out front with the camera?"

"Yeah, it's new," he admitted, "but he don't bother me much."

"Oh, give it time," Michonne chuckled, getting elbowed in the ribs by Carol. Daryl watched the exchange, and his gaze flickered to Carol's. She blushed a little deeper, and he licked his lips. Christ, she was cute when she blushed.

"Car's ready. Easy fix. I ain't chargin' you for it."

"And I already told you that I'm paying you anyway," Carol pointed out.

"You know if you pay me, I'm just gonna use it to take you to dinner, right?"

"Marry him now," Michonne whispered to her friend. Daryl caught it, but he pretended not to hear, and he smirked when Michonne stepped away. "You have a ladies' room, Daryl?"

"'Round the corner," he said with a nod, pointing toward the back. Michonne nodded her thanks, and Daryl waited the four seconds it took her to disappear into the back before he stepped close and pulled her waist into his hands. "Missed you."

"Missed me? It's only been, what, twelve hours?" she teased, running a fingertip along his jaw line.

"If you'd had the night I had, twelve hours would seem like twelve days." Carol smiled then, coiling her arms around his neck.

"Aren't you worried somebody's gonna see?"

"Check the door." Carol turned to see that there were heavy, black curtains on the glass pane of the shop door's window.

"Oh, somebody planned ahead," she whispered, before turning to kiss him softly and slowly. When she pulled back, she pouted innocently before her gaze flashed up to meet his. "Just so you know, I had one of those nights, too."

"Christ," he groaned, gaze slipping down her neck and into the dip of her shirt as visions of her touching herself flashed through his head. He longed to taste her skin, to tease her and make her scream his name, but there was no earthly way that was going to happen in the time it took for her friend to use the bathroom. "I wanna see you tonight."

"You sure?" she teased.

"Stop," he murmured, burying his face against her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume, pressing soft kisses along the spot where he felt her pulse thrumming against his lips.

"Let me get the car home, and then I'll call you." She sighed softly when he sucked at her neck, and she shivered when his fingers dug a little deeper into her hips. "Maybe I can make up for last night. I felt bad about leaving you so…hard up." She grinned when he snorted, and then his hands were on her ass.

"Maybe I can start a fire somewhere, distract 'em so nobody's thinkin' about followin' you."

"You're awful," she laughed. "I like the way you think." They laughed together then, and when they heard the toilet flush, they pulled apart, and Carol gently wiped her thumb across Daryl's lip. He kissed the pad of her thumb, and she shivered when she saw the lust in his eyes. "I feel bad, not paying you."

"Don't. I don't want yer money," he insisted. "But I got an idea."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I definitely got an idea. I'll call you tonight."

"Ok," she murmured, breath quivering as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Alright, I wasn't expecting the bathroom of a joint like this to be so clean. I'm impressed." Michonne gave her friend a smile, and she turned her attention to Daryl. "Can I give you some advice?"

"Uh, alright."

"The cameras will always be there. And the media is gonna write whatever they want to write. Most of it'll be bullshit 99.9% of the time."

"Yeah, I know that," he said with a shrug.

"Alright. Just wanted to warn you. Remember when they tried to say we were in a secret lesbian relationship?" Carol smirked at that.

"Who says we aren't?" she teased, wiggling her brows at her friend and getting a groan out of Daryl.

"You're killin' me," he muttered. Michonne laughed then and shook her head.

"We should go. Don't worry, Daryl. I'll make sure she doesn't forget to call you." Carol shot her a glare, and Michonne just smiled innocently back at her, watching the way Carol blushed and then looked at Daryl.. "Alright, I'm turning around now, because you two obviously aren't ready to say goodbye yet." She turned then, moving toward the door to peek out of the dark curtain while Daryl moved to kiss Carol once again.

"See you tonight?" she asked.

"Tonight," he promised. She smiled then, stepping onto her tiptoes to give him another kiss.

"Bye," she whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. When she finally let go, she hurried off out of the shop with Michonne, hoping the cameras wouldn't pick up on the blush in her cheeks or the pink fullness of her just-kissed lips.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Trust

The second her phone lit up, Carol nearly tripped over her own two feet walking over to grab it off of the sink ledge. She'd just gotten home and had a long, hot shower, and just as she'd been in the middle of brushing her teeth, he'd decided to call.

"Hewwo?" She cringed. "'Old on." She spat her toothpaste into the sink, quickly rinsed and wiped her mouth. "Sorry. Hi."

"I interrupt something?" he asked.

"Yeah, a hot and heavy oral hygiene session," she shot back with a laugh. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I thought about puttin' those plans into action," he offered. "You ready?"

"What should I be getting ready for?"

"It's a surprise," he offered. "It's warm out, and there ain't a cloud in the sky."

"So…we're going to be outside?"

"For a while."

"So, should I dress warm in case it cools off, or should I…"

"You got a heavy jacket?"

"I have a leather jacket Michonne bought me for my last birthday. I haven't had a chance to wear it yet."

"That'll work." She chewed her bottom lip for a moment. "Where should I meet you?"

"I can pick you up. I mean, if you ain't ready to let me come to your house, that's…"

"It's not that," Carol replied quickly. "I don't want you thinking that. I just…this is new."

"I know," he said quietly. "And you got hurt before. I get it." A beat. "You wanna meet me here at the shop?" She took a deep, even breath, closing her eyes as she considered her options.

She'd been closed off. She'd guarded herself for so long, afraid to get hurt again, afraid that fame would destroy everything she held precious in her life, afraid that she'd have to be suspicious of anyone's motives should they get too close. And then Daryl came along, and all she wanted was to let him in.

She was trembling, and she sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

"You ok?" he asked after several seconds of silence.

"I'm ok," she offered softly. "Have you heard of Ash Park?"

"Yeah. Gated community outside of L.A.?"

"That's the one."

"You live there?"

"Mmmhmm."

"I can be there in…fifteen minutes, I think. When do you want me?"

"Now," she said quickly, blushing at her own abruptness. "I mean…wow, that sounded bad. You set me up, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I kinda did," he snorted. "I'll pick you up at six. That sound good?"

"That sounds great," she murmured. "I'll call down to the security booth and let them know I'm expecting company."

"Damn, they gonna want a piss test, too?"

"No, just blood will do," she teased, getting a chuckle out of him.

"I'll see you at six. Wear that jacket. Can't wait to take it off you." Her breath caught in her chest, and she felt her stomach flip while a fire sparked deep inside. Then the line was dead, and she felt as if her blood had caught fire, scorching her from the inside out.

She stood on shaky legs and moved to stand in front of the mirror over the sink. She gripped the sink ledge and looked at herself, watching the way her brown hair spiked in every which direction, fresh from the shower. She ran her hand down her neck and over her collarbone, fingertips dancing over the few freckles that peppered her skin there.

And then came the sudden realization that she very well might be having sex that night. Then came the panic.

She dropped her phone back onto the counter and quickly raised her arms, checking her pits. She breathed a sigh of relief, remembering she'd shaved them two days ago when she'd done her legs.

She swept her hands over her legs, satisfied that she wasn't prickly. Then she unwrapped the towel smoothed her hands over her stomach, up over her breasts, down between her thighs, chewing her lip anxiously as she thought about the way he'd made her feel with her clothes. She felt a little dizzy at the thought of what he could do to her when he finally got her naked.

Her heart was pounding then, and when her phone rang, she silently thanked fate that she might have a moment to not completely freak out over how she was already falling so hard for him and that there was no stopping what was happening between them. And she didn't want to, not even for a minute.

"Hello?" she asked, voice trembling as she fought to keep her nerves in check.

"What's wrong?"

"What?"

"You sound worked up. What's going on?" Michonne demanded.

"I just said 'hello.'"

"That wasn't a happy hello. That was a 'oh my god, I'm about to freak out' hello."

"Ok, now that's scary," Carol groaned. "Ok, Daryl's coming to pick me up."

"Oh, is he?" Michonne asked with a smile that Carol could practically hear over the phone. "Hmm, so I'm guessing that right now, you're shaving your legs and debating on a bikini wax."

"No!" Carol choked out. "I shaved the other day. And I'm talking about my _legs_. I'm staying away from that area all together."

"Well, I'm betting he won't," Michonne teased.

"Shut up," Carol groaned.

"So, you think you're gonna do it?"

"I'm sorry, but are in high school again? Grow up!" Carol laughed. "Seriously, though, I'm freaking out a little. It's been a minute, and after last night, I feel like I might just jump him."

"I think he'd be ok with that, but you know, that's just an observation." Carol laughed then and shook her head, running her fingers through her damp hair as she paced back and forth.

"He's taking me somewhere tonight. I swear I haven't had butterflies like this since…well, ever."

"You'll be alright. It's just like riding a bike. Only, it's not a bike. It's a man. With a penis."

"Thanks so much. That helps me so much," Carol replied with a snort. "Hey, I have to go. I have to raid the closet and figure out what I'm wearing."

"Wear that sexy red dress. You know, the one that dips low and shows off the girls."

"No dresses. He wants me to wear that leather jacket. The one you gave me."

"Ooh, this could be interesting," Michonne laughed. "Alright, just remember that I'm only a text away if you need to run or if you need somebody to kick his ass."

"Why would I need you to kick his ass?"

"Hey, I'm just saying the option's available."

"I've gotta go, Mich," Carol laughed. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Have a good time. He seems like a great guy, but I'm still your best friend, so it's my job to tell you to be careful. Have careful fun. I want you to be happy, but I also don't want to see you get hurt."

"Thanks, Michonne," Carol said softly before ending the call. Then she hurried off to her bedroom to try to throw something together to wear, all the while anxiously trying to calm her quaking nerves.

...

Daryl took his helmet off the moment he pulled up to the security booth outside of Ash Park. He peered into the dimly lit security booth to see a young man wearing a watchman's uniform sitting with his feet propped up. He was watching TV, and he nodded to Daryl the second he saw him. He stood, sliding open the window as Daryl drove up on his motorcycle.

"Who you hear for?" he asked. Daryl glanced at the name badge. It said T. Douglas with 'T-Dog' written in black marker underneath, and the picture matched his face.

"Uh, Carol Mason," Daryl said quietly, eyeing the man as he grabbed a clipboard and skimmed over the list of names.

"Who are you?"

"Daryl Dixon."

"Yeah, yeah, she's expecting you. Just need to see some ID." Daryl watched as the man tried to keep a stern face, though the cheering from the TV inside the booth gave away the fact that he was watching a football game. He passed his ID over to the security guard who verified it before handing it back over.

"Alright. 1015, take the curve to the right and all the way back. You two be safe tonight. A few paps drove by a while ago. Haven't seen them for an hour or so."

"Thanks for the warning," Daryl replied with a nod. He stuffed his ID back into his wallet, securing it before he drove through the slowly-opening gate.

He started down the street in the direction T-Dog had told him to go, passing by huge house after huge house. The smell of chlorine from the various backyard pools filled the air, and he rubbed his nose, feeling the burn there as he made his way back toward Carol's place.

The roar of the engine cut through the quiet air, no doubt disturbing some of the peace-seeking residents. The second he pulled up outside of her place, he looked up at the large, oak door and the nicely kept lawn and remembered driving past the big, fancy houses in Savannah as a kid and wondering what it might be like to live in a place like that.

He got off the bike and put his helmet down on the back. He made his way up the long sidewalk and stepped up onto her porch. The glow of the doorbell button faded under his fingertips, and he listened for the chime and then her footsteps, praying she wouldn't see just how anxious he was to get her out there on the open road and show her the sights he was certain she probably hadn't had the chance to see.

When the door opened, she smiled warmly at him, and his hands began to sweat. She came stepping out wearing that leather jacket, shiny and black, bringing out the stark contrast of her bright, blue eyes. Underneath was a low-cut red top that hugged her in all the right places, accentuating her small but gorgeous breasts. His looked her over, salivating when he saw she was wearing skinny jeans and a pair of black boots that laced halfway up to her knees. He couldn't deny the tightening in his groin as he looked her over.

"That's not your truck," she chuckled, beaming at him as he stood before her on the porch.

"Nope," he replied with a grin. "You ready?"

"You mean…we're going out on that?"

"You never been on one?"

"Once, and I hated it," she admitted, biting her lip.

"Well, you ain't rode with the right person yet. Can ya trust me on this one tonight?" He watched her glance out at his ride and then back at him before she gave him a reserved nod.

"You want to come in for some coffee first, or…" She stepped out of the way, inviting him inside. He nodded and walked inside, admiring the way she'd had it decorated. It was homey and not flashy at all. He loved that despite how large the house was, how the long hallway to the back seemed to stretch on forever, he didn't feel like he was in a museum and couldn't touch anything. It was domestic and down to earth, and it was just so _her_.

"I like it," he offered. "Real nice."

"Yeah, maybe I can give you the tour later," she offered with a bashful wink as they started to the kitchen. The marble countertops were immaculate, and bar stools lined the side. Carol grabbed two mugs from the cabinet and poured some freshly brewed coffee.

"So you live here alone?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," she replied with a shrug. "Though I've been thinking of getting a cat or a dog. Maybe both." She smiled. "It's quiet and private, which I love. But sometimes it's too quiet. I like a little noise sometimes." Daryl watched as she took a sip of her own coffee, and they stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes, blowing cool air over the steam and taking slow, savoring sips.

She moved to place her mug on the table and accidentally spilled some of the hot liquid onto the counter. She reached for towel to sop up the mess, and he couldn't help but notice the way her ass looked in those jeans when she leaned over the counter. So help him, he just wanted to touch her.

She missed the clink of a porcelain mug against the countertop, so when she felt his arms come around her waist from behind, she yelped in surprise, but she quickly relaxed, leaning into him when she felt his lips on the back of her neck. Oh, he was good. She chuckled then, rubbing her hand over his arm before she turned and put her arms around his neck.

"Sorry," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. "Been wantin' to do that all day."

"I believe you're trying to seduce me, Mr. Dixon," she teased, gently teasing his jaw with her fingertips. She saw the blush in his cheeks, and then she craned up to kiss him, sighing happily when his arms pulled a little tighter around her waist.

"Is it workin'?" he asked after pulling back. She laughed then and reached to take his hand.

"Oh, you have no idea. But first, I think some fresh air is in order. You never know, maybe the second time will be the charm. I don't think I gave it much of a chance the first time I rode." She smiled then, watching the way his eyes glimmered as he gazed into hers. Her heart felt so full she thought it might burst, and she couldn't help but feel a tingle in her toes that seemed to move up her body, spreading through her like wildfire when he licked his lips.

"We still talkin' about motorcycles?"

"Oh, definitely," she pouted, nodding her head and giving his hand a squeeze. "Come on, Daryl. Take me for a ride."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Ride

Sunlight glinted off the shiny chrome handlebars, and Carol felt herself shiver the second she watched him throw one leg over and settle down on the seat. It was like his ass was made to sit on that very bike, and she couldn't believe how incredibly turned on she was just watching him grip the handlebars.

"Here. This is for you," he offered, holding the helmet out for her.

"What about you?"

"I'm ok. I want _you_ safe," he replied, nudging it toward her. She eyed him for a moment before she stepped forward, grabbed the helmet and put it over her head. He smirked when her head toppled forward briefly. He reached up to adjust it and secure it on her head, and then he flipped down the face shield.

"I feel like Robocop," she giggled, as he scooted forward on the bike a little.

"Robocop ain't got nothin' on you," Daryl smirked. "Now come put your arms around me."

"I thought you'd never ask," she teased, stepping around behind the bike. She slid onto it behind him, and it was a tight squeeze. She scooted up behind him and put her feet on the little rests down below. This position practically pressed her crotch into his ass, making her blush. If he had any idea how turned on she felt or how her core was already throbbing, she wasn't certain they'd make it half a block without crashing.

"You good?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah. I'm good. I'm a little freaked out, but I'm good."

"We don't gotta do this," he offered. "It was just an idea."

"No, I want to," she chuckled. "Just take it easy around the curves?"

"You got it," he promised. "Hold on tight." She closed her eyes when he started up the bike, revving it as it jolted to life beneath them. Carol gasped at the intense vibration that surged through her body and made her heart pound. _Holy shit_. She bit her lip and held on as he took off down the street.

When she felt him pick up speed, she opened her eyes to find that they passing through the gates with a nod from T-Dog, and then they were heading for the open road.

Her breath hitched in her chest as they flew over a bump, sliding her down further into the seat, pressing her harder against him. She moaned softly, wondering he could hear her over the rumble of the motorcycle. But she decided not to dwell on it, knowing she could fully chalk it up to nerves should he ask her about it later.

But the truth was, she was aroused, and she could feel that she was wet, throbbing, aching for release, and it was all over a fucking motorcycle. If she wasn't so horny, she'd have felt embarrassed.

"Hang on," he called over his shoulder, as they took a wide curve that seemed to wind around a hill. Her arms tightened around his middle, hand splaying flat against his toned stomach. She sighed then, smiling when she felt his stomach muscles jump under her touch, and she craved to tuck her fingers inside his shirt and feel his skin against her fingertips.

What she didn't know was that every quick curve he took a little more sharply than she'd asked for, and he'd done it on purpose to pull her a little closer. The heat between them was almost too much, her knees pressing in against his thighs, the heat between her legs unmistakable. He gripped the handlebars, white-knuckling them to try to keep his focus on the road instead of the way it felt to have her hands gripping him and her body pressed so firmly against his.

They rode for what seemed like an hour until the sky was a beautiful orange and purple in the sunset, and when Daryl finally turned down an old gravel drive and slowed his bike, he felt her relax behind him, and he chuckled when she gasped softly at the sight down the road.

The gravel path led to a small cabin at the end, tucked away behind towering trees that seemed to touch the skies. There was a shed off to the side, some bike scraps leaning up against the side, and there was the distinct sound of water nearby, indicating the cabin was close to a creek or a river.

He cut the motor, and he felt Carol's hands tremble at his sides. She got up then, peeling herself away from him and standing on the pebbled ground. She took the helmet off and ran her hand through her hair. It was damp with sweat, and Daryl couldn't help but notice the way her cheeks were flushed and her chest was heaving with quick, aching gasps.

"You ok?" he asked.

"That was…fun," she chuckled. Fun was certainly an understatement. Her hands trembled when she put the helmet down on the back of the bike, moving around to get a better look at the place. "This is amazing, Daryl."

"Told you there was places around here you could run off to," he offered.

"This is yours?"

"Bought it about a year ago. Come out here when I need to get away from the city. Ain't been out here for a while."

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Come out here and hunt, do some fishin'. There's a great trail out back, takes you deep in the woods. Good for sleepin' under the stars." He cleared his throat. "You gotta be at work early tomorrow?"

"Mmm, no," she replied quietly. "I was going to go to the studio to run some lines, but I'm not actually filming for a few days." She smiled warmly when she saw his eyes brighten. "I know my lines well enough. I was just going to go to have something to do, but if you have something else in mind, I'd like to hear it." Daryl climbed off his bike and moved to take Carol's hand in his. She was still trembling.

"You ok? You're shakin'."

"Mmm. I'm a little nervous," she offered. "But I like this. I like being here with you." He pulled her in, cupping her face in his hands, kissing her softly for a moment, before she opened up to him, inviting him in. He tugged at her hips, fingers gripping her as he pulled her closer, and he tasted her lips with his tongue, slipping past them, reveling in the warm sweetness of her mouth.

When her hands moved down his back, he stepped closer, pushing against her, letting her feel exactly what it was she was doing to him, and when she pulled back, looking down, fingers playing with the edge of his shirt, he tilted her chin up to lead her gaze to his.

"No cameras. No TV. No internet. Just crickets and birds out here," he promised. "You wanna come in?"

"You bring lots of girls out here?"

"Just you," he offered. "Merle brings Paula sometimes, but it looks like we're all alone."

"Good," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to suck his lower lip between her teeth. He groaned when she bit down just enough to get his attention.

"Fuck." His breath quivered against her lips, and she smiled.

"It's getting dark," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "Let's go inside." He said nothing then and linked his fingers with hers, leading her up the porch steps.

He fumbled with the keys for a few moments, before the door finally creaked open, scraping against the wood floorboard as Daryl pushed it open a little further.

"Still needs some work," he grunted, before he shut the door behind them and flipped a switch, lighting up the whole cabin.

Carol marveled at the stone wall that blocked the view of the living room. Only it wasn't a wall, per se, it was the back of the fireplace, perfectly hand crafted. The place was rustic and homey, and she felt absolutely at peace standing there with him.

"It's perfect," Carol whispered, stepping around into the living room where there was a big, overstuffed couch with a fleece blanket tossed over the back. There were bookshelves and a table set up with a checkerboard. No TV, no radio, no phone. It was the perfect little get away.

"Glad you like it," he said with a chuckle. "You want a tour?"

"The kitchen? Bathroom? Bedroom?" she asked with a smile. "Definitely. But later." She flopped down on the couch, and he grinned at her, watching the way she held her hand out to him. Her cheeks flushed, and she could see a spark of color in his face, too, and that put her at ease.

"What do you want?" he asked, crawling over her as she lay back on the couch. He kept his eyes trained on hers and watched the way her gaze faltered from his eyes to his lips.

"I want you," she whispered. "It scares me how much I do." She bit her lip. "But I do. I haven't wanted anybody like this before. I just…" She trembled then, nails biting into his shoulders when he crawled between her legs, pressing his evident erection against her core. "Daryl…" He kissed her then, long and slow, savoring the taste of her lips and tongue and the feel of her warm, wet mouth against his own.

When he finally broke the kiss, she was gasping for breath, and he began to nibble at her ear, getting little moans out of her as her ankle curled around his calf and pulled him closer. He grinned against her skin, tasting the salt of her skin as he kissed her neck.

"Get this off," he whispered, as she arched up to slide her leather jacket off. She grinned up at him, pushing his off of his shoulders, shoving it onto the floor to join the pile hers had started. His lips were on her skin again, and his hands were moving up her shirt, thumbs skimming over the peaks of her breasts through the lacy fabric of her bra. She bit her lip, pushing herself into his hands, moaning when he pulled her shirt up so he could kiss her stomach and the valley between her breasts.

Her fingers threaded through his hair, and she nearly flew off the couch when this thumbs tucked into the cups of her bra and tugged it down so he could get at her, flicking his tongue over the hardened peak.

"Oh!" She shivered under the teasing touch, tugging at his hair, pulling him down further, urging him to keep doing that. He bit down gently before sucking at her breast, eyes flashing up to hers to gauge her reaction. When her head fell back, he grinned around her breast before he moved to the other one for the same sweet torture.

She arched up a little, tugging her shirt over her head before she unclasped the bra, sliding it off her arms to give him better access. He stared down at her briefly, admiring the smattering of freckles over the tops of her breasts, the creamy, pale flesh surrounding her darkened, rosy nipples.

"So beautiful," he whispered, as she covered her face with her hands. "Don't. You're perfect." And he kissed her chest again, trailing a path between her breasts with his tongue, teasing one nipple and then the other with his thumbs, keeping her moaning and writhing beneath him.

He slid further down her body, pressing his nose against the fly of her jeans, inhaling deeply as she squirmed beneath him. She closed her eyes, head swimming as his hands curled around her ankles.

"You feel so warm," he murmured, tasting the soft patch of skin beneath her naval as he opened the button on her jeans and began to unzip her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, anxiously, hands flying down to his. He looked up at her, flashing her a crooked smile.

"You trust me?" She swallowed hard, nodding her absolute certainty. "Good. I wanna taste you."

"You don't have…"

"I want to," he urged. "You smell like heaven." _Holy fuck._ It wasn't the first time someone had done this for her, but it was the one thing she was most self-conscious about. She was so sensitive, and she knew that it wouldn't take much for him to make her come. But the look in his eyes told her that was far from being a problem, and when she relaxed a little, he sat up to start unlacing her boots. "Tell me what you want."

"You," she panted. "I want you." She bit her lip.

"What you want me to do?"

"I want…oh God." She closed her eyes again, cheeks flushing pink. The couch shifted, and when her eyes flew open, his face was even with hers, eyes peering into her own, pupils blown wide. "Shh. It's ok." He kissed her softly. "You can tell me anything, sweetheart, and I promise it ain't leavin' this room." She nodded against his kiss, bringing her hands up along his broad shoulders, relishing the feel of his breath on her skin as he whispered such sweet words to her. "Tell me."

"I want you. All of you. I want you to fuck me, Daryl." She saw the grin spread over his mouth before he buried his face against her neck.

"Anything else?"

"I want your tongue on me. Inside of me. I want…" Her face felt like it was on fire, but she pushed through it. "I want you to make me come with your mouth." He smirked then and began to kiss his way down her chest again. She closed her eyes as he set to work unlacing her boots and removing them. She wiggled her toes when the first boot came off, and he smirked, imagining her spread open before him wearing nothing but her socks. His cock throbbed, and he prayed he wouldn't make a complete mess of himself before this was over.

The other boot came off unceremoniously, and Daryl quickly slid the zipper of her jeans the rest of the way down, exposing the front of her lacy panties, the match for her bra. She bit back a smile when he looked up at her and blushed, and she was in awe of how he could be so hungry for her and look at her with such lust be so bashful about it at the same time.

She lifted her ass, letting him tug her jeans down her hips, and the second he had hold of the side of her panties, he tugged them off, and she kicked him off her ankle. She shivered under his gaze, watching the way he focused on the glistening curls. She covered her face again when she imagined what the first swipe of his tongue would feel like.

"Want ya to look at me," he murmured, urging her to uncover her face. She did so, slowly, only to see him tugging his shirt over his head. Her hand immediately went to his chest, sliding down the patch of hair that led from his belly button to what was beneath the fly of his jeans. His hand slid up her thigh, fingers gently parting her folds as her hips flew up off the couch. He gently held her hips down with one hand, cock straining against his jeans as he felt how ready she was for him. "You're so fuckin' wet." He brushed his thumb over her clit, getting the sweetest moan out of her that he'd ever heard.

"Daryl, please…"

He smirked then, leaning down over her to kiss her hungrily, feeling the warmth of her blushing cheek against his own. He pulled back then, easing down the couch to settle between her legs, pressing soft kisses to her stomach as her knees trembled on either side of him.

His hands rested at her hips, and he teased her, kissing her inner thighs, nipping there as she gripped the couch cushion between her fingers. The moment he flicked his tongue over her glistening, sensitive folds, she cried out, arching up, pressing herself into his face as he tasted her, teasing her opening with his blunt tongue. Her essence flooded his mouth, and he drank her in, teasing her clit with his tongue and lips, pushing two fingers into her when her legs shook from nerves.

His hands gripped her thighs then, spreading her legs a little further apart, and she rocked her hips against his face, moaning louder and panting harder as she reached her peak again. When her flavor flooded his mouth again, he pulled back, shifting to rest his chin against her hip to watch the color fill her face as she flew high. She was a masterpiece. Pale, freckled flesh went rosy as the orgasm ripped through her, and he took pride in the fact that he'd done that for her.

His cock ached for release, and when Carol's eyes finally opened again, she reached for him.

"Need you," she whispered. "Please." He reached into the back of his pocket, fishing out the condom he'd brought along 'just in case' and she bit her lip, unable to hide the smile that shone through.

"Yeah?" he asked. "Tell me what you want."

"You know," she panted, seeking out his lips, tasting herself there as their hands worked together to slide his pants down his hips. He kicked his boots off and broke away long enough to shuck off his pants and boxers, and she blushed, peering down to see his cock standing tall and hard, aching for her. He was long and thick, and her pussy throbbed, aching for him to fill her.

He tore open the packet and slid the latex over his dick, giving it a stroke for good measure. Carol spread her legs for him, humming softly against his mouth when he kissed her. He settled between her legs, kissing her slowly, relishing the moment before he lined up and slowly eased inside, catching her cries between his lips, feeling her nails bite into his biceps, finding purchase as their worlds collided, sending shockwaves through her core.

"Christ," he panted, stubble-rough chin brushing over her shoulder as he nearly toppled over from the pressure of her molten walls fluttering around his dick.

"Oh God," she whispered against his ear, burying her face against his shoulder before nipping at his shoulder with her teeth. "Fuck. Don't stop. Please, don't." He could barely move for a moment as he waited for his heart to slow, and when he finally pulled back and pushed into her again, she muffled her cries against his neck, trembling as their bodies began to move together.

She wrapped her legs around him, bringing him closer, pulling him deeper, and she breathed through the brief discomfort as her body adjusted to his size, and as he moved, her body craved more of him. Her muscles relaxed and tensed as each pulse of desire flooded through her veins, bringing her closer to the edge with each surge and ebb. Her heartbeat marked time with his, and her walls throbbed around him with each thrust.

It was everything. The way he held her, the way she met his thrusts with enthusiasm, the way their limbs tangled together and their eyes met between frenzied kisses. It was more than they'd expected. The passion, the hunger between them sparked anew with each kiss, each stroke, each rippling nerve ending that seemed to sing with pleasure.

He moved his hand between them, stroking her clit as he pushed into her, and she cried out her pleasure against his lips before he found his own release.

Gasping against her sweat-slick neck, he collapsed atop her in the end, heart hammering as he struggled to find a steady breath.

"You ok?" she whispered against his ear as he shifted his weight to let her breathe.

"Yeah," he chuckled, peppering kisses along her jaw. "Just need a minute." She smiled then, humming softly when his lips met hers. "You're amazing." She blushed. "You are." She bit her lip then, trying to suppress the frown that threatened to shadow her face when he pulled away from her, walking buck naked out of the room to discreetly dispose of the condom in the bathroom. When he returned to her, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his body. His well-muscled arms, the V-line of his groin, the distinct vein that ran along his flaccid shaft, his taut stomach, those amazing, calloused fingers.

"C'mere," he murmured, holding his hand out to her. Her legs were shaky, like a newborn fawn, but she found her footing and followed him to the shower.

"I don't usually shower with a guy on the second date, you know," she teased, as Daryl turned on the hot water. "Then again, I don't normally lose my panties after the second date, either, so what the hell?" She watched him step into the shower stall, and her heart skipped a beat when she watched the steam rise up from his skin under the hot water.

"You comin' in or just watchin' the show?" he asked, holding his hand out to her. She took his hand, yelping as he tugged her inside.

"Showering so soon?" she asked, as he rubbed the bar of soap between his hands and began to lather up her back and hips.

"Just need a minute. Trust me, I aim to keep you naked the rest of the night if that's ok." Carol laughed but quickly sobered the moment his arms came around her from behind and his lips pressed against the side of her neck.

"Oh…oh…okay," she moaned softly. "Naked…is good. Just…ohhhh…yeah, that's good." Her knees went weak when he gently bit against her pulse, soothing over the skin with his tongue for good measure. "You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Daryl Dixon." She sighed when his hand moved up to stroke over her breasts, and then she turned in his arms. "One good turn deserves another, don't you think?" He furrowed his brows for a moment before she began to kiss his chest, moving lower until she was on her knees. _Sweet Christ._

Needless to say, this was about to become the best shower Daryl Dixon had ever had in his entire life.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Privacy

The water cascaded down Daryl's body, and Carol blinked up at him before leaning in and pressing an open mouthed kiss to his stomach. He groaned, fingers instinctively threading through her short, brown hair. She smiled against his warm skin, breathing in the smell of him, savoring the taste.

Her hand curled around his shaft, running her thumb over the purple head and then down the corded vein alongside it. He was bigger than what she was used to, and to say she wasn't sore would have been a lie. But the ache was good. She smiled, pressing a kiss to one hip, giving it a little nibble before she cupped his balls and gave him a squeeze.

"Fuck," he bit out, reaching to grab hold of the soap ledge for purchase. She looked up at him, then, smiling as the water dropped off of him and down onto her face. She watched the flush fill his face as his cock throbbed in her hand.

This wasn't something she'd done much, but she'd never had any complaints before, so she hoped that he'd like it and that she'd be able to give him a little something in return of the favor he'd done for her earlier on the couch.

The second she pressed her lips against the tip of his dick, his hips bucked forward, and she pulled back.

"M'sorry," he muttered sheepishly. "Fuck, it's been a while."

"It's ok. Relax," she whispered, gently stroking his thigh before giving his balls another squeeze.

"Easy for you to say," he muttered as she started to stroke him. "Fuck, that feels good." He closed his eyes, tilting his face up to the shower stream, focusing on breathing and the pleasure that he felt the moment her lips were wrapped around the head of cock.

She took her time, keeping her hand curled at the base of his dick, controlling how far she took him, how much she took. Her tongue teased the head and the underside of his cock before playfully trailing down the bulging vein, making him murmur something like a whimper. She smiled around him, giving his balls another squeeze as she rolled her way back up, tongue flat and pressing firm against him for pressure.

She hummed softly, teasing the head again, gathering the bead of moisture that glistened at the tip. He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as she smacked her lips together.

"Ain't gonna last," he grunted, as she gently pumped her hand at the base, taking him a little deeper, teasing him just as slowly as before. "Fuck!"

"Tell me when," she murmured before pressing a kiss to the head of his cock. His hips rocked forward again, and another drop emerged. She lapped it up, and he nearly collapsed when the smile spread over her lips. She was fucking perfect, and he had no idea what he'd done to deserve her, but he wasn't a man to question the good things in his life.

She worked him over for a few more minutes, and when she felt him tense, felt his fingers slip out of her hair, heard that moan escape the back of her throat, she pulled back, watching as he reached down to take his dick in his own hand. She watched as he gave it a couple of quick pumps, and then thick ropes of sticky, white come spilled out over his hand and onto her chest, slipping down her skin and down the shower drain as he stared down at her in amazement.

"Jesus," he panted, dick going flaccid as he reached down to help her stand. "That was…" She leaned in then, kissing him hungrily, pressing herself up against him as the hot water began to run cool. She sighed then, pulling back and trailing her finger down her own chest, gathering a bit of his essence on her fingertip before sucking it off. His dick twitched but remained spent for the time being, and she smiled wickedly around her finger. And then they were kissing again, and he could taste himself on her tongue, but to his surprise, it wasn't all that bad.

"It's probably a little silly to ask now," she said softly, "but we don't have anything to worry about here, right? I mean…we used a condom, but…"

"M'clean," he promised. "Ain't been with nobody in a long time, but I been tested." His hand ghosted down her backside and over her ass, pulling her close.

"And I was tested after my last breakup. When I found out he cheated on me, I wanted to be sure. I'm clean, too." She smiled then, and she reached down between them to give him a few strokes.

"You're gonna have to give me a few minutes, sweetheart," he chuckled, moaning when her tongue slid into his mouth. It didn't take much more than that for his cock to swell, and she grinned, triumphant, pumping him to a full erection.

"Maybe less than a few minutes," she whispered, sucking at his Adam's apple, teasing it with her tongue. The throaty moan that escaped his lips made her lips vibrate, and she smiled then, turning into the shower stream, letting the cooling water wash over her skin.

He pressed into her from behind, peppering open mouthed kisses along the back of her neck and her shoulder blades. She trembled under his touch, reaching to cut off the water before she pushed the shower door open.

"Where you goin'?" She just turned, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself.

"I think I'd like that tour now," she murmured innocently, pouting her lips. "Shall we start in the bedroom?" And then she was off, rushing down the hall to the little bedroom in the back, and he stood there, dick in hand, thinking for all of three seconds before he was rushing after her, practically tackling her against the mattress the second he caught up to her.

She laughed when her legs flew out from under her, and he made quick work of pulling that towel off of her and tossing it over his shoulder.

"You have anything else?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she inquired about protection.

"Merle sometimes brings girls here. I hope to Christ he washed the sheets," he mumbled, as Carol made a face. "Lemme check the drawers." He reached into the bedside table drawer, coming up with nothing. He growled then, and Carol giggled under him when he reached into the drawer of the table on the other side of the bed. He felt her hot mouth press against his chest, teasing a nipple as he leaned over her.

When he found an open box of rubbers, he made a triumphant noise, getting a laugh out of Carol.

"We got eight."

"Oh, eight?" Carol asked. "Feeling adventurous?"

"Shit, yes," he snorted, grabbing one condom and putting it aside as he began to kiss his way down her body again.

"Slow down, stud," she laughed, pushing at his shoulders. "We've got all night. Might want to make them last." She grinned when his hair fell into his face and he started to kiss down the valley between her breasts. "Oh, ok. That's good."

"Yeah?" he asked, not really seeking validation but appreciating her encouragement. He latched onto a nipple then, and she moaned softly, running her hands up and down his back as his tongue teased languid circles around one peak and then the other, until both nipples were dark and hard, and she was whimpering beneath him.

"How'd you get so good at using your tongue?" she asked, as his fingers spread her folds open, stroking her, teasing her, pumping inside of her. She lifted her hips up as he pushed in, the wet heat of her core making his fingers tremble.

"Dunno," he murmured. "Ain't done it much before."

"Well, you're a prodigy then. God, I've never met a man that can do the things you can…" She ran her fingers through her hair as he flicked his tongue over her belly button. "I _crave_ you." She swallowed hard, blushing at her own admission, and when he crawled back up to press soft kisses to her forehead and to her lips, she sighed, feeling almost boneless, pliant as he settled his hips between her legs.

"I wanna do this again," he murmured, stubble scratching over her neck as he kissed her earlobe.

"Yeah?" she asked, craning her neck to give him better access.

"Yeah," he whispered, grabbing the condom packet, tearing the corner and sliding the latex over his dick. "Wanna be more than this." He felt her tense then, nails digging into his back. "That scare you?"

"A little," she whispered, getting a kiss out of him in response. "But I want more, too." She smiled then, curling her fingers into his hair. "If you can put up with the crazy that comes with my life."

"I can," he promised, kissing the hollow of her throat. "I can deal with crazy if you can deal with somebody who might flip the cameras off once in a while. Tell these assholes to go fuck themselves." Carol snorted at that, and he grinned at her, burying his fingers in her hair as he kissed her once again.

"That might be a refreshing change of pace," she whispered. "But I'd rather keep you my little secret for just a while. I want some quiet before the wolves descend. When they smell blood, the frenzy starts, and then we'll never have any peace."

"Deal," he murmured. "Speakin' of frenzy…" His fingers found her clit again, and she cried out, arching into his touch before he moved his hands to her hips and pushed in, sliding home and watching her mouth fall open in a silent cry the moment he was fully seated inside of her. Home.

"God, you feel so good," she panted, bringing her knees up to pull him in further.

"So tight," he panted, burying his face against her neck as he pulled almost completely out before pushing back in. She bit out a cry against his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears sprang forth.

"Don't stop," she panted, feeling the coiling deep inside, tightening as her walls fluttered around him, heart galloping in her chest as their bodies began to move together as if they'd been doing this for a hundred years.

Her hands gripped his arms, and she held tight, while he moved to grip her hips and roll her. She gasped at the change of positions, feeling him deeper, somehow, as she put her hands on his chest and began to ride him.

"Fuck," he groaned, watching her perfect little breasts bounce as she rode him. Her head rolled back, and she pressed her hands against his chest, bringing herself up on her knees before slamming back down, feeling a sharp ache before the pleasure set in.

"Oh God," she cried out. "Oh God." She bent down then, claiming his lips in a kiss, before he flipped her onto her back again, burying himself to the hilt. She screamed out a response against his neck, nails scratching at the back of his neck, burying in his scalp when he began to fuck her harder. "Oh, fuck. Yeah. Yeah! Daryl, don't stop. Please. Of, fuck. Harder! Don't…oh God, don't stop." Her words were breathy and thick against his ear, and that only made him throb inside of her. He squeezed his eyes shut so hard that lights seemed to burst there, and while his head swam and his senses seemed to blur, he found purchase on the pillow under Carol's head, gripping it tight as he anchored himself and began to give her what she was begging for.

"You like that, sweetheart?" he panted, biting at her earlobe. "You want more?"

"More," she panted. "Fuck. More!" Throwing caution to the wind, he nibbled at her neck before his throaty words came spilling out.

"You're so fuckin' tight. Like you're made for me."

"For you," she bit out, squeezing her walls around him as an orgasm ripped through her. His fingers dug into her hips, pulling her closer as their skin slid and slapped together, sweat-slick and aching for more.

"This mine?" he asked, cupping his hand against her pussy as his dick slid into her between his fingers.

"Yours," she panted. "All yours. Just don't fucking stop!" He pulled out then, getting a whine from her, but he wasn't gone long. He grabbed her behind the knees, scooting her down toward him, changing the angle, draping her legs around his hips. She whimpered the second he was inside of her again, and he watched as she white-knuckled the sheets in her hands, stomach muscles jumping, chest heaving with each quick breath. He began to thrust inside of her, looking down between them, watching the way their bodies came together, fitting so perfectly, the way her pussy glistened for him, the way her hands clawed up his arms, desperately trying to hold on as her walls began to squeeze around him.

He was close, and he knew she was, too, and when the next orgasm ripped through her, he fell over her, thrusting harder as her legs went slack around his hips. And when he finally let go, her arms curled around his shoulders, holding him close, kissing his forehead, whispering softly against his skin as he stilled on top of her.

"That was…"

"Yeah," he panted, kissing her softly before he pulled out of her and rolled onto his back. Fingers tangled together, they lay staring at the ceiling, both catching their breaths, heartbeats echoing the descent as the air still seemed to buzz around them.

She curled up at his side then, guiding his hand down her stomach and between her legs, moaning softly when his fingers slipped through her slick folds.

"Yours, huh?" she whispered, kissing his ear. "That what you want?"

"Yeah," he grunted, turning his face toward hers and capturing her mouth in a hungry kiss. "That ok?"

"Mmm," she hummed, moving her hand down his stomach, fingers curling around his dick. "That means this is mine, right?" He snorted then, and they both laughed together.

"Ain't never gonna be nobody else's. God, you're amazing." Carol smiled at his words, opening up to him, kissing him softly, trailing her hands up and over his shoulders, savoring the feeling of his hands on her, his lips teasing hers.

"We're staying tonight?" she asked softly, as the air cooled around them. She reached to tug the sheet over them.

"If you want."

"I do," she smiled. "But only if we can eat before we sleep. I'm starving," she laughed. "I don't suppose you have any food here?"

"I sorta stocked the fridge earlier today, hopin' you'd wanna stay."

"Oh, well played," she grinned.

"You hungry for pizza?"

"Pizza's good," she nodded.

"Hang on, I'll go put it in." He gave her a quick kiss before hopping out of bed and wrapping the towel he'd pulled off of Carol around his waist. Carol stretched and curled into the bed, yawning sleepily before she sat up and got out of bed. She headed to the living room, grabbing her purse. She hadn't even thought about her cell phone until she needed to see what time it was. She kind of liked that there didn't seem to be a clock in the place. It truly was a getaway. An escape. But she was curious to know the time, considering it was dark outside now.

She grabbed her cell and noticed the no service icon was on. She breathed a sigh of relief, happy that for once, she could truly have some peace and quiet and enjoy the rest of her night without a care in the world.

...

Michonne sighed softly as she rolled over and reached for the remote. She watched in amusement as Rick walked into the bathroom, his pasty-pale ass practically glowing in the dark hallway. He was sporting a major farmer's tan, though he was a member of the LAPD and had never stepped foot on a farm.

This was new. They'd met weeks ago, but she'd kept him a little secret until she knew for sure this was something she wanted. Considering he was a single dad with two kids and she'd never been married, it had been a lot to take in, but this was good, and tonight, they'd finally taken their relationship to the next level.

But now he had to get a shower and go, because duty called, and she was going to spend the rest of her evening watching mindless television and trying to calm the flutter in her chest and in her stomach every time she thought of how happy she felt when she was with him.

But the second she flicked on the television, there was her best friend's face, and she sat up, covering herself with a sheet and gaping at the story on the entertainment news show.

 _"Yesterday, Entertainment Now brought you exclusive photos of Apocalypse, California star Carol Mason receiving roadside assistance from a handsome mechanic. Well, today, we can confirm the identity of the mechanic. He is Daryl Dixon of Dixon Bros. Detailing & Repairs, a shop based in Los Angeles. What we can also bring you, exclusively, are these candid shots of a helmeted man on a motorcycle approaching the gated community where Carol Mason currently resides. And these candids, later, showing the same man without a helmet driving away with a woman on the back of his bike. The man? Daryl Dixon himself. Could this mean a love connection for the Apocalypse, California star and the hunky L.A. mechanic?"_

"Oh, shit," Michonne muttered, grabbing for her cell. She quickly tapped out a text for Carol, hoping her friend would get the message before morning.

 _Media's onto you and Daryl. Media has pictures of Daryl leaving Ash Park. Is that you with him? Text me back._

She waited five minutes. Then ten. When Rick came back into the room, fully dressed, strapping his holstered gun around his waist, she smiled up at him when he leaned down to kiss her.

"Call you tomorrow?"

"Hmm," she said with a smile, tucking her fingers into the neck of his shirt. "You better." As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Carol's face on the TV screen. "Oh, that's Carol Mason. Uh…Olivia O'Connor from _Apocalypse, California._ You watch that? I'm a big fan."

"Oh yeah," Michonne bit out with a smile. "Me too. Big fan. Huge."

"Maybe you can come over tomorrow night and watch with me?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Michonne said with a smile. "Be safe out there."

"I will," he promised, kissing her again. And then he was gone, and she collapsed against the mattress, checking her messages. No response from Carol. With a frown, she tapped out another message.

 _You can always say it wasn't you. It's not like you can see your face under that helmet. But they're going to be sniffing around more now than ever. I just want to warn you before you get mobbed coming home._

Oh hell, Carol was going to be pissed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Wake Up Call

Carol woke first, squinting into the morning light that peeked through the blind slats. She sighed heavily, feeling that urgent sting in her bladder. She rolled onto her stomach, trying to ignore it until she couldn't take it anymore. With a groan, she pulled herself out of bed, padded naked down the hall to the bathroom with her cell phone in hand and yawned. As she did her business, she checked the time on her phone and nearly laughed aloud when she saw that it was a quarter to noon. She still didn't have any messages thanks to having no service, but strangely, she didn't mind being cut off from everyone and everything. Last night had been wonderful, and she wouldn't change it for the world.

By the time she flushed and washed up and headed back to the bedroom, Daryl was flopped across her portion of the bed, arm hanging over the side, head buried under her pillow. She bit her lip, holding back a giggle at the sight, before she crawled into the bed and over him, straddling his legs, running her hands up his strong, muscled back.

He groaned sleepily as her hand moved over his ass, giving it a squeeze. When that still didn't rouse him, she grabbed the pillow and tossed it aside and kissed a line up from the middle of his back to the center of his neck.

"Wake up," she whispered.

"Time is it?" he muttered, sighing as he stretched, and his muscles twitched to life.

"Almost noon," she laughed.

"Too early," he muttered, getting a laugh out of her. She gave his butt a little pat.

"Wake up. I'm naked, and I want sex," she whispered against his ear. In a half second, he was rolling onto his back, reaching for her hips. She laughed at the sleepy grin that played over his lips and the way his messy hair covered his still-shut eyes. "Really? You're gonna do this half-asleep?"

"You wore me out last night," he muttered, dick already semi-hard per the morning usual. It twitched in interest when Carol straddled him, moving her hands over his chest. But that didn't stop him from reaching up, grazing his fingertips along her breasts, teasing her nipples into stiff peaks. He pulled her close, burying his face against her neck, breathing in her scent and letting out a little growl the second her hand curled around his dick. "Fuck, you're gonna kill me."

"Want me to stop?"

"Hell no," he chuckled. He sat up then, bringing his arms around her, and she sighed softly, pumping his dick slowly as he sucked at her neck, leaving a damp trail in the wake of his lips and tongue. Soon, she was stroking him faster, and his hips jerked in time to her motions. And just when his head began to swim and he began to lose control, a loud bang from out front startled them both.

"God damn it," he grunted, before the loud bang came again, and then the front door swung open. Carol quickly scrambled off of him, and Daryl threw the sheet over her, quickly grabbing a pillow to put over his lap to hide his flagging erection.

"Alright, baby brother. You wanna tell me what all this circus is about?"

"Fuck," Daryl bit out, as Merle's loud footsteps came clomping down the hall. "I'll get rid of him." He got up, grabbing a pair of boxers and sliding them on just in time to stumble out the door and close it, shielding Carol from Merle's line of sight. "Merle, what the fuck?"

"Baby brother, I just keep catchin' you with your pants down," Merle snickered. "She's here, ain't she?"

"Who?" Daryl asked, grimacing at his obvious failure at being casual.

"I woke up, came to work, and there's about eight vans parked outside, and a bunch of pricks with cameras were asking me all about you and some cute little thing from that end of the world show. Is that who was with you the other night? Hell, baby brother, if I'd known that…"

"Wait a minute, you said there are people parked outside the shop?"

"Oh, yeah. A shit ton. So I did myself a little diggin', and it turns out, there's pictures of you showing up to this big, fancy neighborhood and ridin' off with some piece of ass that looks real good in them tight jeans she wore." Daryl groaned and bit back the urge to knock Merle's lights out for talking about her like that, but that was just Merle, and nothing would ever change him, so there was really no point in trying. "She's hot. I mean, a fuckin' ten. She any good?"

"Go to hell," Daryl muttered, running his hands through his hair.

"Yeah, she worked a good one over on you. You got love bites, boy." Merle laughed, slapping his brother's shoulder. Daryl touched the skin of his neck, and it felt a little tender, but he'd be damned if he was going to get embarrassed about a couple of hickeys.

"Would you get the hell out?" Daryl asked. "Why ain't you at work?"

"Why ain't you?" Merle asked with a big, shit-eating grin.

"I can take a day off. You ain't never there anyway." Daryl heard Carol stirring behind the door, and he watched as Merle's attention switched to who might be coming out into the hall. "Get out."

"Aw, come on, little brother. M'happy for you. Glad you got your dick wet, at least. I know it's been a while for ya."

"You're a pig," Daryl muttered. This only served to make Merle's grin grow wider.

"Now I saw the pictures of you helpin' her out on the freeway. She invite you in for some lemonade and a little afternoon delight?"

"Ain't none of your goddamned business," Daryl spat, shoving his brother toward the front of the cabin. They stumbled out of the hall together, Merle trying not to trip- over his own two feet, Daryl trying to find his way in his just-wakened state.

"What? You afraid I'll sell the used rubbers on eBay or somethin'?" he laughed. "Come on out, sweetheart! 'Ole Merle ain't gonna bite. Any girl who'd give my baby brother the time of day is alright in my book." Daryl cringed, hoping she wouldn't come out, but she did. She came out wearing a button-down shirt that was just long enough that it covered her ass, and Daryl couldn't help but feel his dick twitch at the thought that she might not be wearing any panties underneath.

"You must be Merle," Carol said with a smirk, stepping toward Merle and extending her hand. Merle looked her over in an all too obvious way, and Daryl felt like shoving him into the wall. Her hair stuck up a little, making it more than obvious what they'd been doing all night, but she seemed to be keeping her cool about all of this.

"Yeah, you're her alright. Damn, how'd my little brother get so lucky?" Carol blushed at Merle's words, and Daryl rolled his eyes. Yeah, Merle could be a real charmer when he wanted to be.

"You know, you can't fool me, Merle Dixon," Carol pointed out. "It's not like these walls are soundproof. You don't have to pretend to be a gentleman with me." Daryl snorted at that, and Merle smirked.

"I like her," he finally said to his brother. "Look, I got a couple pricks throwin' stacks of cash at me for a story. I mean, a fella's gonna be tempted."

"You say one word…" Daryl warned.

"Oh, relax, Darylina. I ain't that hard up for money. But if the price was right, I could spin 'em a good tale."

"It's best not to say anything. Take it from me. I've been there," Carol offered, taking a step toward Merle. Daryl reached out for her hand and gave it a protective squeeze.

"They want a story, and we could give them the absolute truth, and they'd find a way to make it into something it's not." She shook her head. "Trust me, all they want is to make a quick buck, and they'll say whatever they have to." Merle shook his head and flopped down on the couch, watching the way Carol moved to gather her strewn clothes from the pile they'd left them in the night before.

"This gonna be somethin' I gotta get used to, or is this just some hook up. You feel sorry for my baby brother, so you gave him a little pity screw?" He watched as Daryl's fists tightened and his face reddened, but Carol stepped right up to Merle with her hands on her hips, and his gaze moved over the curves of her creamy thighs.

"Trust me, your brother won't be sleeping on anybody's couch, because he _knows_ how to treat a woman." Merle looked like somebody punched him in the gut, and Daryl couldn't help but smirk as Carol turned and walked out of the room with her clothes in hand.

"She's a little spitfire," Merle chuckled after having a moment to gain his senses back. "I _really_ like her."

"Yeah," Daryl murmured, flopping down next to his brother on the couch. "So do I." A pause. "You get Paula to forgive ya yet?"

"Hell no," Merle chuckled. "I pissed her off pretty good, but I'll give her some room. She'll call me when she gets lonely enough." A pause. "You like this chick? Ain't just after the money?"

"C'mon," Daryl complained. "You think I care about that shit?" He shook his head. "You gotta promise me you ain't gonna say anything. She likes to keep things private, and with it already bein' out there, people are gonna say what they wanna say."

"I ain't sayin' a word, little brother. You got my word." Daryl eyed his brother for a moment before relaxing against the back of the couch. If there was one truth about Merle Dixon, it was that he always kept his word, even if he fucked up a little bit along the way.

"Alright, I'm trustin' you on this," Daryl warned. Merle grinned and nudged his brother's shoulder with his fist.

"Hey, I'll get back to the shop, and I'll see what I can do to get 'em the hell out. Buy the two of ya some time."

"It ain't gonna matter. They're gonna be outside Ash Park, too. I take her home, they're gonna swarm."

"Then don't take her home. Keep her here."

"What?"

"Yeah, look, I can take care of the shop for a couple days. Keep her here 'til she's ready to go back to work, and then the two of ya can tell whatever story you wanna tell. They might be comin' after you flashin' their cameras, but you two got all the power here."

Carol came walking back in a few minutes later, dressed in yesterday's clothes. Her hair was styled now, and Daryl was impressed she'd put herself together so quickly. She was barefoot though, which made him believe she wasn't quite ready to leave just yet, and that made him feel better.

She made a beeline for the kitchen, and Daryl could hear the clatter of the coffee pot in the sink as Carol ran some water.

"You wanna stay for coffee, Merle?" Carol called. Merle glanced at his brother, and Daryl shook his head. Merle smirked, but he understood that Daryl just wanted to be alone with her. He supposed he could give him that, considering he'd been giving his brother so much shit for being single for so long.

"Alright, alright," he muttered. "I can take a hint."

"Only takes ya fifteen minutes," Daryl snorted. Merle chuckled then and stood, heading toward the door.

"I'll have to take a rain check on that one, Carrie." Daryl followed Merle to the door. "You need anything? Box of rubbers?"

"Nah, just usin' the ones you left behind."

"You owe me," Merle pointed out, raising his brows and shoving his finger at Daryl's chest. Daryl flinched and pushed his brother out the door. "Paid good money for them things. Just so ya know, they're a little old. Might not work so good." When he saw the color drain from Daryl's face, he knew he'd gone too far. "Shit, lighten up, bro. I'm kiddin'. Brought Paula out here a few weeks ago. They're good. Promise. Now, you just enjoy yerself, and I'll try not to burn the shop down."

"Yeah, thanks," Daryl chuckled. "And don't even think about bringin' nobody up to my apartment."

"Damn, and here I thought I had myself a bachelor pad. I'll see ya later, baby brother." Merle turned to start out to his truck, and Daryl sighed, stepping out onto the porch.

"Merle?" Merle turned when he reached the truck. "Thanks for the heads up about everything."

"Hey, just lookin' out for ya. Ain't I always done that?" And then Merle was gone, leaving Daryl to step back into the cabin.

He joined Carol in the kitchen, where she was looking through cabinets for breakfast food.

"You have any pancake mix? I haven't had pancakes in years, but I think I'll indulge this morning," she said with a grin, as Daryl leaned up against the counter and watched her.

"Think there's some in the bottom cabinet," he offered. She bent down to look, soon coming up with the pancake mix and a triumphant smile. When she saw the worry crease his brow, her smile fell.

"What's wrong?"

"Merle comes here and acts like an ass, tells us there's pictures of us on the internet, and you're ok with it?"

"I'm not ok with it, but it's my life, Daryl. I was hoping not to have to deal with the media buzz for a little while, but there's nothing I can do, short of lying and telling them this is nothing."

"You could tell 'em that," he said with a shrug. Carol narrowed her eyes at him and put the box of pancake mix aside. "I mean, we know it ain't true. It's new, and you want privacy. It ain't their business." Carol smiled a little, stepping in front of him, bringing her hands to his bare chest, fingertips lightly dancing over the fine hairs on his chest.

"You're sweet," she said softly, "but if they want a story, they'll find a story. Hiding isn't going to help. It'll just make them try harder." Daryl's arms twined around her waist, pulling her close.

"So, whaddya wanna do?" She smiled a little and kissed him softly, and she squealed when her feet left the ground, and he lifted her to sit on the counter top. She spread her legs, and he stepped between them, moving his hands in slow, soft circles up the back of her shirt, fingers dancing over spine.

"Tell them nothing," she sighed. "Don't give them the satisfaction of getting a real story."

"Ignore 'em?"

"They're going to write what they want. If people are dumb enough to believe the crap they write, then let them." Carol shrugged, and Daryl chuckled, burying his face against her neck. Carol sighed contentedly then, and Daryl pulled back. "What?"

"Just surprised, is all. You sure you're the same woman I met a couple days ago on the side of that freeway? All bundled up in a scarf and sunglasses, hopin' people wouldn't recognize ya?"

"You know what?" she asked with a chuckle. "Screw it. I'm happy, and while I don't want the whole world to know my business, I shouldn't have to hide my happiness. And I don't want to hide you. I just hate that you're being dragged into this."

"I ain't bein' dragged into nothin'. I wanna be here. I wanna be with you."

"Careful, mister. You're saying all the right things," she laughed, as he sucked at her neck again, and she curled her fingers into his hair. "I just got dressed. It'd be a shame to tear these clothes off again."

"You didn't put your boots on. You ain't that dressed."

"I may have forgotten a couple other important garments, too," she whispered against his ear.

"Fuck, you're perfect," he groaned, as Carol grabbed his hand and brought between her thighs. The heat there was indescribable, and his cock stiffened in his boxers.

"Mmm," she hummed, as he started to stroke her through her jeans. Then, she slid off the counter and grabbed his hand. "C'mon. I feel like a cold shower. Care to join me?"

"Nope," he grunted, grabbing her around the middle and throwing her over his shoulder. She yelped in surprise, smacking him on the butt as he carried her out of the kitchen—pancakes, be damned—and proceeded to deposit her right in the middle of his bed. As he began to work the buttons of her jeans, she wriggled underneath him. "Shower later. That ok?"

"I can live with that," she laughed, before she helped him take her clothes off once again.

...

It was nearly four o'clock by the time they headed out from the cabin. When they were halfway back to the city, Carol's phone buzzed in her pocket. She gave Daryl's side a squeeze, and he pulled over to the side of the road, peering over his shoulder when he felt Carol shaking behind him.

"S'wrong?" he asked. He cut the engine off. Then he heard the laughter.

"I have like fifty texts. Half of them are from Michonne, and the rest are from my cast mates."

"They probably think I kidnapped you or somethin'," Daryl snorted.

"You sure you're ready for this?" she asked, flipping up the mask on the helmet. "I mean, this is gonna get crazy."

"I ain't runnin'. You shouldn't have to run either. It's your life." Carol smiled at him then and shook her head. Her cell rang then, and she sighed.

"Better answer it so they don't send out a search party."

"Good idea," she laughed, pressing the speaker phone button so she wouldn't have to take off her helmet. "Hey, Michonne."

"Jesus, where have you been?" Michonne demanded.

"My cell was out of service," Carol laughed.

"Well, you'll be thrilled to know that the paparazzi were waiting outside of _my_ apartment building this morning."

"Oh God," Carol groaned. "Did you tell them anything?"

"Are you kidding? It's not my place. I told them I don't know anything, and as far as I know, your car broke down again, and he came to give you a ride somewhere."

"And they bought it?"

"No," Michonne muttered. "My word's not good enough. I just want to warn you what you're coming home to. I just drove by your place, and it's like someone died. News vans, everything."

"Wow, you'd think people would have better things to do than speculate on my love life," Carol muttered glumly.

"Hey, on the bright side, there aren't any paps waiting outside the studio today. Just a few zealous fans."

"You drove by the studio?"

"I've got you covered. What are best friends for?"

"You're amazing," Carol murmured. "Thank you so much. I'll call you later, ok?"

"You better. Bye." The line went dead, and Carol tucked her phone away.

"Don't take me home," Carol insisted. "Can you take me to the studio?"

"Thought you didn't wanna work today?"

"I've got a better idea. You wanna come watch me work? Meet my coworkers?"

"You really want me there?" he asked, brows raising in surprise.

"I've got nothing to hide from them," she said with a bright smile. "These people are family."

"You trust 'em?"

"Yeah, I do. None of us expected this show to be such a success. We certainly didn't expect the crazy fame that comes with it. Poor Glenn's got girls following him home every night. It's crazy, but they get it. They won't talk to anybody about it. They're good at keeping secrets." Daryl nodded then and took a deep breath.

"Alright. Let's get you to work then. The sooner I get you there, the sooner I can get you home and naked."

"I like the way you think," she laughed, as Daryl gave the key a turn and the engine roared to life. Carol secured herself behind Daryl again, pulling her arms snugly around his waist, and she closed her eyes, willing her heart to stop pounding as her anxieties came screaming through her mind.

It was time to stop hiding. It was time to stop thinking about what people knew and didn't know or what they thought or didn't think. She just wanted to enjoy this new happiness and the way he made her feel when he looked at her the way he did. She didn't want to shy away like she had something to be ashamed of. It was time to stop hiding, stop running from the chase. It was time to really live.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Meet the Family

 _Author's Note: It's just been brought to my attention that Daryl's been breaking the law for a couple of chapters by not wearing a motorcycle helmet. Being that I've never been to California, I wasn't aware of their super strict helmet law. I suppose we'll just have to say Daryl's a rebel. ;) Maybe he'll get pulled over by a certain cop I've recently introduced into the story. :P Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

Carol had called ahead on her cell to inform security she was coming to the studio, and by the time they reached the gates, a few paparazzi came out from nowhere, but thankfully, security had it covered and had the gates opening and letting them in. Daryl drove through, face hidden partially by his wind-swept hair and the dark sunglasses he'd bought at a gas station a few miles back.

Daryl pulled around by the sound stage doors, parking his bike in Carol's reserved parking space. When Carol pulled off her helmet and dug through her purse for her security pass, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

The second she pulled her phone out, she groaned and rolled her eyes.

"S'wrong?"

"They don't waste time, do they?" She held her phone up to show him a link Michonne had just texted her, showing pictures of them just moments ago riding through the gates of the studio lot.

"Jesus, they're quick."

"But look how sexy you look in those sunglasses," Carol smirked, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Maybe you can wear them later when I get you home. _Just_ those."

"Oh, you're takin' me home?"

"If you play your cards right," she offered with a grin. Daryl smirked at that. "Come on. Are you ready to meet my crazy cast mates?"

"If you're ready for me to meet 'em," he replied with a nod. She smiled then, nodding toward a set of double doors. Daryl followed her there, where she quickly slid her security card, only for the locks to click, alerting them of their admittance.

Daryl's eyes adjusted to the dim light in the long hallway the second the doors shut behind them. He wasn't certain what he expected, given he'd never been at any sort of television studio before, but he certainly wasn't expecting the pale, white walls and the various shut doors that reminded him of an old high school.

They passed a large soundstage that looked like the inside of a grocery store with boxes overturned everywhere and paint peeling from the walls.

"It's one of our sets," she said with a smile. "You should watch more TV, Daryl." He snorted at that, and they turned down a hall toward a larger room. There was one large, round table with about a dozen seats around it, and some of those seats were filled.

A young, Asian man looked up as soon as they walked in, and a dark-headed woman hopped up and started over. The man followed.

"Oh my God, you two are all over the news," the woman pointed out, eyes wide as they met in the middle of the room. "So, which story do I believe? Are you two secretly married?"

"What?!" Carol laughed. "Who's saying that?"

"Oh, some British knockoff tabloid is grasping at straws."

"Tara Chambler," Carol laughed, "this is Daryl Dixon."

"The Daryl Dixon. Can I have your autograph?" She grinned at him, and he glanced at Carol who poked him in the ribs with her elbow. "I've heard _so_ much about you in the past two days all over Twitter and Facebook and everything."

"Oh, so ya don't know shit?" Daryl offered.

"I like him," Tara laughed.

"So," the other man spoke up, "what are your intentions with our Carol? We're family here at _Apocalypse, California_ , and anybody who messes with our family gets their ass kicked."

"Glenn, behave," Carol replied with an eye roll. "Glenn Rhee, Daryl Dixon."

"Sweet ride, by the way," Glenn offered. "So you do repairs?"

"You need work done?"

"No, but I have a few friends. I could send some business your way."

"Glenn plays David Ingram on the show. He's sort of the lead actor. His character's desperately in love with mine," she said with a teasing grin.

"But in a relationship with _my_ character, Jenny Dupree," Tara replied. "Which is kind of screwed up, because my character is having feelings for Rosita's character, Julia. It's kind of a mess."

"Sounds like a damned romance novel," Daryl replied.

"Oh, it's worse than a soap opera," Tara agreed . "My girlfriend Denise says sometimes she forgets that it's about the apocalypse, because there's so much personal drama going on."

"So Carol, you're character's with Glenn's character?" Daryl asked, furrowing his brows.

"No," she chuckled. "He's with _Tara's,_ but he wants to be with mine, even though his girlfriend has a thing for their friend…who's a girl."

"Shit," Daryl muttered. "Probably better watch this thing from the beginning."

"No, Olivia's got her sights set on the quiet, awkward loner who doesn't seem to show any interest whatsoever in anybody except for Olivia. Though he'd freak out if she made a move." She rolled her eyes. "It's gonna happen eventually, I'm sure. I'm just not looking forward to the sex scenes." Daryl paused for a moment. Huh. He hadn't even thought about that. He wasn't sure what was more awkward. Having to do a love scene with someone you weren't in a relationship with or watching the person you're falling for do a love scene in front of a whole crew for the purpose of showing it to millions of viewers.

"You wanna run though some lines?" Tara offered, linking her arm through Carol's.

"Sounds good," Carol chuckled. "Daryl, you don't mind to sit in?"

"C'mon, dude," Glenn offered. "Gotta watch the Queen in action. She's amazing."

"Oh, stop," Carol replied with an eye roll, giving Glenn's shoulder a little shove.

"Queen?" Daryl asked.

"You _really_ gotta get in the fandom. I'm just saying. She's like…the most badass character on TV. There's a reason the media's all over you two." Daryl watched and listened as Carol walked off with Tara, and he felt a lump growing in his throat at how her smile just seemed to brighten the room. That smile was contagious, because as soon as she smiled, Tara smiled, and he just wanted to smile, too. But he didn't, because the next words out of Glenn's mouth had a cold panic washing over him.

"You know how many guys would kill to have the chance to work with her, to just be in her presence? You lucked out, man."

"I helped somebody on the side of the road," Daryl said quietly.

"And it's probably the best thing that's ever gonna happen to you. Hold onto her, and don't forget, if you hurt her…"

"You'll kick my ass, right?"

"You got it. Tara packs a mean punch, so watch out for her, too."

"Thanks for the heads up," Daryl replied quietly, watching Carol sit down next to Tara.

"Seriously though, she's been hurt in the past. Whatever this thing is…"

"It's new," Daryl offered. "Ain't really defined it ourselves, so if it's the same to you…"

"I get it," Glenn offered, holding his hands up. "She likes you. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time. So just don't hurt her. If you want out, just tell her before she falls too far, ok?" Daryl said nothing then, only stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave Glenn a little nod.

"Looks like they're waitin' on you." Glenn nodded then and gave Daryl a clap on the shoulder. Daryl stayed back, watching the three of them talk and flip through scripts as others came in to join the reading session.

She was happy, that he could see. And she'd taken a chance on him. She'd pushed through her trust issues and let him in, and he was already falling for her. He felt better when he was with her. He felt happy. She was consuming his thoughts and his heart, and it was overwhelming. But he wasn't running, and he hoped she wouldn't either. He hoped she wouldn't change her mind and push him away, because he was certain he wouldn't be able to handle that.

He watched the way she seemed to focus into character and look over her script, but not before she searched the room for him, gaze settling on him from the center of the room. She smiled then, eyes sparkling, making his stomach do flip flops in only the way her smile could. Oh yeah, he was done for, and it was the best feeling in the world.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Take Me Home

"I'm sorry," Carol said softly with a sheepish grin as she stepped out into the hall with him. "I didn't think we'd be here that long."

"S'alright. I don't mind," he promised. "Got to watch you work. You're incredible." Carol blushed then. She was used to people heaping praises on her, but certainly not someone like Daryl, someone who was close to her. The men she'd been with in the past had been so transparent, in retrospect. They'd showered her with compliments and basked in the spotlight that was on them when they were with her.

"Thank you. You should visit while we're filming. Really watch me sink my teeth in."

"Watched you sink your teeth in last night, if I remember right." She blushed deeper, curling her fingers with his.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," she laughed.

"Can't help it when I'm with you." He leaned in, kissing her cheek, breath warm and soft against her skin. She trembled then, and he turned her face toward his, kissing her softly, tugging her bottom lip between his teeth. She giggled then, flattening her hands against his chest and pushing him up against the wall. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, moaning softly when his hands moved down her back and over her ass.

"Whoa, guys." They broke apart the second Glenn stepped into the hall. "Look, I'm happy for you and all, but, get a room." Daryl shot the other man a look, but Glenn stood firm. "You've got your hands all over my friend's ass, and if she's cool with it, that's fine, but what I told you earlier isn't going away." Carol eyed the two suspiciously, and Daryl slowly removed his hands from Carol's ass. He then curled his fingers around her hand against his chest and looked at her.

"You wanna get outta here?"

"Mmm. Take me home," she replied with a little smile, as Glenn let out a groan. Carol giggled and looked at her friend. "Oh, go home to your wife, Glenn. You know what's waiting for you there." She raised an eyebrow as realization struck Glenn's features. The younger man's face pinked up, and he gave her a sheepish grin before hurrying off.

"What was that all about?" Daryl asked.

"Maggie—Glenn's wife—is trying to get pregnant. She basically jumps him every time he walks through the door," Carol laughed.

"He told you that?"

"We're friends. Of course," she smiled. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Speaking of. What did Glenn say to you, anyway?"

"Basically, him and Tara are gonna kick my ass if I hurt you," Daryl pointed out, pulling his arms around her and kissing her softly.

"Oh," she said thoughtfully, pursing her lips together in a pout. "Then I guess you better not hurt me. They mean what they say, and Tara packs a hell of a punch."

"So I've heard," Daryl snorted. He watched the grin slide over her face, and he buried his face against her neck. A soft whine escaped her lips, and he pulled back to see the need in her eyes. "C'mon. Let's get you home."

...

The throng of people waiting outside the gates of Ash Park was overwhelming. Thankfully, T-Dog had called out some reinforcements in the form of a few Los Angeles police officers who managed to thin the crowd a little by putting up blockades to make a path so residents could get in and out of the gated community.

The second T-Dog caught sight of Daryl's motorcycle coming down the road, he opened the gates so Daryl wouldn't have to stop, though the cameras were flashing like crazy. He felt Carol tense behind him on the bike, and he turned the corner, getting out of sight of the paparazzi before he slowed and coasted down her street the rest of the way.

When they were in her drive, he cut the motor and hopped off the bike. She sat there for a moment before she slowly removed her helmet.

"This is getting ridiculous," she admitted, looking a bit weary from the ride back from the studio. "You didn't ask for this."

"I don't care," he offered. At her glance, he relented. "Ok, it pisses me off a little, but I can deal with it. Just wanna be with you." He took her hand and helped her off the bike. At her sad little smile, he tilted her face toward his. "Hey. I mean it. I don't care what it takes." Carol sighed then, eyes filling with tears. She turned and started up toward the front door. Daryl felt his heart skip a beat, wondering if he'd said something wrong, but he followed her in silence.

Once they were inside, Daryl took Carol's hand and pulled her in close.

"Hey," he said quietly, lifting her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes. "When I say I wanna be with you, I mean it. I ain't good with words, but I know what I want, and that's you." He saw her lower lip quiver, but she squeezed his hand.

"Come on," she said quietly, nodding toward the stairs. She led him up the staircase and down the hall, opening the door up to her master bedroom. She didn't stop until she reached the bed, and then she motioned for him to sit down, which he did. She stepped between his legs, squeezing his hands and bringing them up to her waist to settle, before she brought her hands to the hem of her shirt, fingers toying with the edge. She started to remove it, but Daryl stopped her.

"Hey," he said quietly. "This ain't just about sex for me." She looked down at him, hands falling to her sides. "I mean, I ain't gonna lie. The sex is…amazing. I ain't never felt nothin' like this with nobody before." He cleared his throat. "I want it to be more. I want to build somethin' here." He watched as the smile tugged at Carol's lips, and he looked down, feeling the flush of pink hit his face.

"I want that, too," she whispered. "I just…I told myself not to let myself trust so easily. But I trust you." She smiled when his fingers flexed at her hips. "I feel like a different person, and that's not a bad thing. I feel happy for the first time in a long time, and I can take down these walls when I'm with you." She let out a shaking breath. "I'm just terrified that a month from now, six months, a year…that you'll wake up one day and realize that you're not happy." Daryl shook his head then. "It could happen. It happens to lots of people. I just need a little warning. I couldn't stand it if…"

"Hey." His voice was bold but soft, and he pulled her closer so that he had to look up to see into her eyes. Her hands came up to gently brush through his hair. "It ain't gonna happen. Not ever. You think I don't think about that? You think I don't wonder if you'd get bored? I mean, what the hell am I, anyway? Just a mechanic."

"Stop that." She placed her hands on his shoulders, and he leaned in, burying his face against her stomach, inhaling deeply as her hands moved up, and she brushed her fingers over his scalp, threading her fingertips through his hair as his warm breath clung to her shirt and heated her belly. "I don't want to play games. My life is crazy enough. I just want someone that I can build a life with. And I can see that with you. I can. I want to work toward something, but I can't promise you it's going to be easy." She swallowed hard. "I'm trusting you, but I need you to trust me, too. And I need you to tell me if it gets to be too much. Can you do that?" Daryl sighed but he nodded, knowing she needed him to show her that he understood. "I don't want you to _have_ to put up with my crazy life. I'm sure there's someone great out there who doesn't have cameras following them around of people constantly trying to snap pictures of them when they're at the fucking gas station." Daryl snorted at that, and he shook his head.

"Well, whoever's out there, I don't want 'em. I want you. I want all of you." He pulled her into his lap, curling his arms around her waist, kissing her gently as she relaxed in his arms. "And if the cameras never go away, then so be it. Fuck 'em. At least we can give 'em a good show." Carol laughed then, and she buried her face against his neck.

"Fuck 'em," she agreed. Her hands were on either side of his neck, and she brought them down his shoulders, tucking her hands into his shirt collar. She sighed when he lay back, rolling with her onto the mattress, crawling over her to pepper kisses along her neck.

He found her hand and linked their fingers together before pressing kisses to each of her knuckles. She smiled when his gaze met hers, and then his mouth was on hers, and she was trembling against his touch.

He took his time, undressing her slowly, savoring the feel and taste of her soft skin as he kissed her all over. And when he finally shed his own clothes and joined her back on the bed, they took their time, forcing back the urge to rush, the need for instant gratification, finding pleasure and joy in learning each other's bodies, bringing each other to the brink before pulling back and starting all over until they were both craving more.

And when it was over, Carol collapsed against him, resting her cheek against his chest, closing her eyes as the strong, steady thrum of his heartbeat soothed her into a sleepy, happy pile of limp limbs. They were tangled together, and when she finally found the strength to lift her head, he pressed soft kisses to her lips, bringing his arms around her, drawing strength from someplace deep inside, making love to her all over again as the day passed them by and faded into night.

...

Merle Dixon slammed the hood down on the last car of the day, just as the customer entrance door slammed shut. He looked up at the woman walking toward him with fire and determination in her eyes, and he smirked.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Sign says we're closed, or can't you read?"

"You Merle Dixon?" she asked, glaring daggers at him.

"The one and only," he replied with a grin. "Sorry to break it to ya, but I'm taken. Sorta. But I might make an exception for you."

"So you're the man who's ass I have to kick?" she asked, stepping up toward him with her hands on her hips.

"'Scuse me?" he asked with a laugh. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, tapped the screen and showed it to him. He saw a picture of his little brother with Carol, and he smirked. "Cute couple, ain't they?"

"Read the article," she practically growled. Merle huffed and wiped his greasy hands on the legs of his coveralls. He took her phone in hand and began to scroll through the article. "What the fuck is this?"

"Yeah, Merle. What the fuck is it?" A couple of paragraphs into the article was a quote.

 _"Daryl's a good guy, but he's been obsessed with Carol for a long time. Huge fan of the show. He's always joked with his buddies about what he'd do if he ever met her," says Dixon's older brother and business partner, Merle. Could this mean trouble for the new lovebirds? Is Daryl Dixon really just an obsessed fan lucky enough to worm his way into the TV star's life?_

"Who the hell are you, anyway?" Merle asked, handing the phone back to her.

"I'm Carol's best friend," she remarked stuffing her phone into her back pocket. "The name's Michonne. And you better be real straight with me right now, because I'm not afraid of going to jail tonight."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Come Away With Me

Author's Note: To the people still reading, thank you, and please keep the feedback coming! Caryl on!

Merle swallowed hard and took a step back. This woman was a spitfire and gorgeous to boot. He couldn't help but feel a little turned on when she narrowed her eyes at him and looked at him like he was scum on the bottom of her shoe. Christ, he knew he had issues, but this was a little much.

"Slow down, sugar," he chuckled. "I'm sure we can figure this one out."

"Is this true? And more important, did you really go to the media just to make a quick dollar off your brother's girlfriend?"

"What'd you say your name is again, sweetheart?"

"Michonne," she bit out, getting more pissed off by the second.

"Well, Michonne. Since you asked so nicely, I might be willin' to give you some answers." He made a show of checking her out from head to toe, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Look, I've got things to do."

"You got a date or somethin'?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," she replied, crossing her arms across her chest. "He's a cop. Carries a _big_ gun." Merle chuckled at that. Michonne stepped closer to him. "You realize who my friend is, right?"

"Big TV star. Cute little thing," he grinned. "Oh, yeah. I'm a big fan."

"So is it true? What you said?"

"I never said it," Merle pointed out.

"Then how do they have your name?"

"Well, they got my brother's name, and they know he owns a place called _Dixon Bros._ I'm sure it weren't that hard to get my name."

"Then why did they quote you like you said it?"

"You been livin' here longer'n me, I expect. How do they do anything they do? They want money, they'll find a way." Michonne studied his face for a moment.

"Well, I hope you're telling the truth, because it'd be a really shitty thing to do."

"Scout's honor."

"I have a hard time believing you were ever a boy scout," Michonne smirked, relaxing a little bit as she took a step back from him.

"Would you believe my daddy used to be a sheriff? That turn you on, like your big shot cop boyfriend?"

"Go to hell," Michonne muttered. "Look, if you see your brother, tell him I'm watching him. I'm not afraid to come after him if he's lying to my friend."

"You got it, sweetheart. I'll tell him, but I'm guessin' he's with your friend right now. Why don't ya just give her a call and sort all this out?" Michonne hesitated.

"I tried. She didn't answer."

"So my guess is he's got her screamin' his name right about now with her legs reaching up to Jesus."

"You're a pig," Michonne spat, which made his grin grow wider.

"I might be a pig, but I ain't no liar. Didn't say none of those things. 'Course I don't expect you to believe that." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You seem all ready to defend that friend of yours, and you know all too well how the folks of Hollyweird work, lyin' and makin' shit up, but you come in here accusin' me of lyin' on my brother? I might look like a piece of shit, and hell, ask my girlfriend, she might tell you I am, but I ain't never gonna do a thing like that to my baby brother. You understand?"

Michonne said nothing then. She just watched him. Finally, she nodded.

"If he hurts her…"

"He won't. My brother's a good man. He might be a little wet behind the ears, but I know when my brother's in love, and trust me, he is. Maybe they ain't said it to each other, 'cause it's all shiny and new, but I know love when I see it. Trust me. He ain't never gonna do nothin' to hurt her. Not on purpose, anyway." He nodded at her. "You got your friend to look out for. But I got my little brother. I'm in his corner, and ain't no way in hell I'm gonna let some lyin' tabloid story come between me and him. You just trust 'ole Merle. I'll fix this."

"You'd better, because playing with people like that is bullshit," Michonne pointed out. "I don't care if you did it or not. Your name's in the article, so _you_ need to fix it. I don't know how you're gonna fix it, because it's out there, and people are gonna believe what they want, but you better try. I like Daryl, but my friend comes first, and whatever happens, I'm on her side here." And then she turned and was gone, and Merle was re-thinking everything he'd ever thought he knew about women. She was something else, and boy did he hope he was going to see her again.

...

Cerulean blue. That was the color of the water just before the sun set, and the moment darkness settled over the quiet community, Carol grinned widely and jumped, naked, into the water. Daryl watched in awe as she came up, hair slicked with water, skin glimmering under the moonlight.

"Ain't you afraid someone's gonna see?" Daryl asked, cautiously dipping a toe into the water. He was surprised when it felt warmer than he expected.

"That's why I picked this place," she chuckled. "None of the neighbors have windows facing the backyard, I have high fences, and if anybody's flying overhead, it's too dark to make anything out."

"Ya know they make cameras with night vision now, right?" he asked with a smirk. Carol grinned then, and he watched, mesmerized, as she waded toward him.

"Well, we'll just have to be careful not to attract attention, won't we?" she asked teasingly, bringing a wet hand up out of the water to curl around his ankle. Her gaze moved down his body to his groin, where his cock stood erect and aching for her touch. Fuck, when did that happen? She watched his Adam's apple bob up and down when he practically gulped, and she bit her lower lip to stifle a giggle. "Does this surprise you? That I like to swim naked?"

"A little bit. A good surprise," he chuckled. "But I ain't never done this before."

"Well, it's best when done under the moonlight and with somebody who has very dirty things planned for afterward." Daryl smirked at that, and he sighed, keeping his eyes on her as she backed away to give him room. He lowered himself down to crouch at the side of the pool, and then he hopped in, and the shock of the cool water surrounding him had him shivering the second he breached the surface.

"Shit, that felt warmer before I jumped in."

"Oh, I'll warm you up, Pookie," she whispered, immediately going to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He moaned softly the second she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He backed up to lean against the side of the pool, and Carol giggled against his lips when his hand moved down her back and over her ass. Then she pulled back, cocking her head to the side as she ran the tip of her index finger over his bottom lip. "What're you doing about a month from now? A month from yesterday, actually." Daryl furrowed his brows.

"Can't think about what I did two seconds ago," he snorted. Carol laughed, and she relaxed a little in his arms, leaning in to kiss him.

"Do you think Merle could watch the shop for a few days?" she asked between kisses, as his hands moved down her waist.

"Probably. Why?" he wondered, as her kisses moved to his neck and to his chest.

"Well, have you ever been to New York City?"He leaned his head back, groaning when her hand reached between them and wrapped around his dick.

"Fuck, can't think with you touchin' me like that." She grinned then, letting go of him and moving her hand up to a safer place, his chest. But then she was sucking at his neck, and that was almost as distracting. "Uh…no. Ain't never been to New York."

"Would you like to go with me?" she asked with a little grin, pulling back to look into his eyes.

"What?"

"They're having a convention up there next month, and I have to go for a meet and greet and photo session. There's also a panel with the cast of _'Apocalypse_ ,' so I have to be there." She pouted a little. "I really don't want to go alone."

"You want me to come with you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Like, to the convention?"

"Well, you don't have to. I know you're really not into that kind of thing, and since you've never seen the show, you probably wouldn't know what to expect. But I'd like to have some company at the hotel." She smiled when his hands moved over her breasts under the water.

"So…ya want me to come to New York with ya for sex. It's ok, you can say it."

"No!" she laughed. "Well, partly. But I'd really like you to come with me. The convention is just one day. We can spend the whole weekend and fly back Sunday night. Fly out Friday, do some sightseeing. Convention Saturday followed by extreme nakedness at the hotel. All day nakedness on Sunday before we fly back to L.A. that night. Whaddya say? You wanna come with me, Daryl?"

"Mmm, I think I can talk Merle into handlin' the shop for a few days, but it might be burnt down when I come back to it." He smirked when he saw the doubt cloud her eyes, and then he leaned in and kissed her. "I'll come, but only if I pay my own way."

"You don't have to do that," she said softly.

"I know. I want to. I got money saved back. You don't gotta buy for me."

"So this isn't one of those macho 'I gotta pay my way 'cause I'm the man' things? It's just a 'my super famous—and extremely cute, if I may add—girlfriend doesn't have to pay my way, 'cause I have my own money' thing?"

"Somethin' like that," he chuckled.

"Well, my room's already paid for. Studio paid for it. The plane tickets are gonna be pricy this close to the trip."

"I'll take care of it. And I'm payin' for room service."

"Um," she laughed. "It's like a thousand bucks a day at this hotel."

"Christ, is the place made of gold or somethin'?"

"No."

"Alright, then fuck room service. We'll have pizza and beer in bed."

"I like that idea _much_ better, but the studio pays for room service, too," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him. She sighed softly, wrapping her arms a little more snugly around him. "I don't want you to think you have to pay your way just because I've told you about how my exes were all about the money and the attention."

"It ain't that," he said quietly. "You earn your money, and I earn mine. And if I wanna do somethin' or go somewhere, I'm gonna use my money. And if I wanna buy my 'extremely cute girlfriend' things with my money just 'cause I want to, I'm gonna. You got a problem with that?"

"No," she laughed. Then she sobered a little and cocked her head to the side. "So we've both said it. Does that make it official? Am I your girlfriend?" Daryl couldn't help the smile that spread across his face then, and he ducked his head a little.

"You wanna be?"

"Mmm, let me think about it," she teased, kissing the tip of his nose. "I think I'd like that." She pressed her lips against his then, and he pulled her in close, sliding his tongue past her lips, gently tasting her until she opened up for him and deepened the kiss.

When his arms loosened around her, she pulled back with a gleam in her eye, and she started swimming across the pool.

"Where you goin'?"

"Better catch me," she teased, crooking her finger toward him in a come-hither motion. He felt his cock throb, and he gripped it, giving it a couple of tugs as he waded across the water. The fire in his belly burned through his blood, coiling tight inside of him until he felt like he might lose control.

He caught up with her at the other side of the pool, turning her to face the wall, and pressing into her from behind. He slid his hands down her arms before flattening over the tops of her hands on the cement. He nipped at her earlobe, breath hot against her skin, and she moaned softly, sliding one hand out from under his and reaching behind her to stroke the back of his neck.

"You want me to stay tonight?" he asked.

"Mmm," she moaned, moving her hand down her neck as she leaned her head back against his shoulder, eyes closed as she faced the sky. He sought her lips for a searing kiss, as her hand dipped below the surface of the water, sliding down her belly and slipping between her legs. She let out a soft gasp the second her fingers parted her folds, and Daryl began to suck at her neck.

"You wanna go inside?"

"Mmm, yeah," she whispered, voice low and thick with desire.

"Whaddya want me to do?" he asked softly then, moving his hand down her stomach and over hers, following the motions of her hand as she touched herself.

"You know," she whispered. "I want you to tell me." He chuckled lightly against her ear, and he gave it a little nibble, as he pushed her hand away, replacing it with his own. She bit her bottom lip, arching -into his touch as he explored her slick folds under the water. "Daryl…"

"First I'm gonna take you upstairs, put you in your bed." Her head lolled forward for a moment, as her legs started to give out on her. "Gonna kiss every inch of skin. Then, this is gonna be mine."

"Yeah. Yours," she whispered. "Talk to me, Daryl."

"Gonna spread you out and take my time." His voice was a whisper against her ear, and she trembled when he plunged two fingers inside of her. "Gonna bury my face in your pussy, lick every bit of you up." She cried out then, as his thumb brushed over her clit. "And then I'm gonna fuck you and make you beg me to let you come."

"Oh fuck," she panted, as the orgasm ripped through her, and he slid his hand away, giving her a moment as she gripped the edge of the pool. "Oh God. Daryl…" He was just glad she couldn't see the blush in his cheeks, because it took everything in him to push past those insecurities and really let her hear what he wanted to do to her. He'd never felt this before. He'd never gotten comfortable enough with a woman to really verbally express his desires, but Carol liked it. She liked to hear it. And he liked the way her body responded to his words. Christ, she was so wet.

She turned then, throwing her arms around his neck, and she kissed him hotly, tongue sliding between his lips as he kissed her back with equal passion. She sighed against his lips then, shivering when his hand skimmed over her breast and down her side.

"You're amazing," she whispered. He grinned against her mouth, and she rested her forehead against his. "Take me to bed. I want you to do all those things you just said." A beat. "Then it's my turn. I hope you don't expect to sleep tonight."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he snorted, as she wrapped her hand around his cock and gave him a few good strokes. He sucked in a sharp breath, leaning back against the wall of the pool as she teased him. And then she let him go and pulled herself up out of the pool. "Tease."

"Oh, there's plenty more where that came from. Meet me in the bathroom. Oh, you're gonna _love_ my shower." Daryl's jaw clenched as his entire body tensed at the prospect of showering with her again, of feeling her wet, naked, soapy body pressed against his under a steady stream of hot water. He wasn't certain if it could really happen, but he knew that if a man could die of happiness, he was surely a good candidate.

He wasted no time climbing out of the pool and following her into the house. He caught up with her just outside the patio doors, and he pushed her against the side of the house, kissing her hungrily as she gasped and moaned against his mouth, draping one leg over his hip. She whimpered softly as his cock slid against her wet folds, and the fire that scorched through her blood was so powerful that she had to control herself from sinking down onto him and taking him fully inside. But she managed to control herself, unwinding herself from him before they were past the point of no return.

"Ok," she panted, breasts heaving as he sucked at her neck. "Change of…oh, change of plans." She arched into him when he sucked a pert nipple into his mouth. "Shower later. I need you. Now." She took his hand, but he had other plans. He hoisted her up into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his erection sliding against her folds again. She moaned the second he started walking with her, stumbling into the house and toward the living room.

"Upstairs?" he asked.

"Too far away," she groaned, hands knotting in his hair as he stumbled with her into the living room. He deposited her onto the couch, crawling over her.

"Condoms?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her as the grin spread over her face.

"Mmm…later. First things first." She nudged at his shoulders just enough to tell him what she wanted. He smirked then, remembering his promise to her as he began to kiss his way down her body. "That work for you?"

"You kiddin'?" he snorted, before she spread her legs and closed her eyes and thanked the fates for Daryl Dixon, his tongue, and his insatiable oral fixation.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Can't Fight It

Daryl cracked one eye open to reveal an upside down view of Carol sitting at her computer, naked and drinking what looked like a cup of coffee. He smirked and rolled over to find that it was just barely after midnight.

"What're you doin'?" he asked, stretching and sitting up on the side of the bed.

"Don't worry," she offered, throwing a look over her shoulder. "It's decaf."

"Ain't the coffee I'm talkin' about." He rubbed his eyes and got up, stretching briefly before he walked up behind her chair. "You always get up to surf the web in the middle of the night?"

"Not usually," she laughed. "But I had to pee, and I saw I had a text from Michonne. Really enlightening, actually."

"Oh hell," he groaned. "What now?" He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently kneading them. She moaned softly, rolling her head forward briefly before she brought her hand up to place over his.

"Oh, just an article that says you've basically been obsessed with me for forever. A quote from your brother, here." She pointed to the screen.

"What?" he asked, nearly choking on his own tongue. His heart pounded in his chest, and his hands tensed at her shoulders. "What the fuck did he say?" Carol pointed to the screen, and Daryl leaned forward to read the article. "What the fu…hold on. I'm callin' him. Don't care what time it is." He started to walk away to find his phone, but Carol grabbed his hand.

"Wait, don't!"

"Hey, whatever this shit says, it ain't true. You gotta believe me. I…"

"Daryl, I'm not mad," she offered, standing up and facing him. He sighed heavily and hung his head. How the hell was he going to get out of this?

"But it ain't true. What he said…it ain't true. I just…I don't understand." He ran his fingers through his hair, and Carol put her hands on his shoulders.

"First of all, I don't believe it. I work with actors. You are _not_ an actor. You can't even pretend you're not horny when you're trying to hide it." Daryl blushed furiously. "And right now, you're actually scared to death, because you think I'm going to think the wrong thing." She placed her hands on either side of his face. "I believe you. I trust you." She kissed his forehead. "Plus, Michonne just texted me a few minutes ago and told me that she already cleared the air with Merle. He didn't say anything, and he's going to make sure the right people know that." Daryl breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, the story might be bullshit, but it got one thing right," he murmured, as Carol draped her arms on his shoulders.

"What's that?"

"Might be a little obsessed with ya. Can't stop thinkin' about ya." Carol smiled at that, and she leaned in to kiss him.

"I'm ok with that."

"How the hell do you do it?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"Deal with all this bullshit." He gestured toward her computer screen.

"I ignore most of it," she shrugged. "The people that matter know the truth." She smiled a little when the grin crossed his face.

"Am I one of 'em?"

"Oh, you're quickly scaling the list," she laughed, as he picked her up in one swift motion, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She moaned softly when he kissed her and she felt his erection pressing against her. She sucked in a sharp breath and sighed softly before kissing him again. "Well, since we're _both_ up…" She grinned when she wrapped her fingers around his dick. His eyes rolled back a little, and he slumped forward, holding onto her tightly.

He practically took a running leap with her back to the bed, sending echoes of her laughter through the spacious house.

...

"Hey, baby brother," Merle hollered—a bit too loudly—into the phone.

"What's up, Merle?" Daryl groaned, wincing as he peeked out into the bright morning sunlight from Carol's room-darkening blinds.

"Yeah, you might wanna turn on the TV about right now."

"What?"

"Channel 7. Just do it. C'mon."

"What the hell are you yammerin' on about?" Daryl grumbled, grabbing the remote off of Carol's nightstand as she sat up in the bed, hair sticking up in every which direction. She looked thoroughly ravaged, but he wasn't nearly done with her. She smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and tugging him back onto the bed. He groaned when he hit the mattress, and she playfully wrenched the remote out of his hand.

"Just do it," Merle insisted. Then the line went dead.

"Channel 7," Daryl said with a frown. "Merle's goin' on about somethin'." Carol pursed her lips and turned the TV on, putting it on Channel 7. _Morning Magazine_ was on, and Carol groaned.

"Oh, this one is the one that claimed to have pictures of me and Glenn in a compromising position. They were pictures of us hugging during filming. I mean…it pushes the boundaries of complete idiocy." It was then that Merle Dixon's face appeared on the screen, and Daryl let out a groan, covering his eyes with one hand.

"This ain't happenin'."

"Shh," Carol urged. "Wait."

"This is bad. Fuck, this is real bad."

"Shh! Just wait," Carol urged, draping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him between the shoulder blades. Her hand moved in slow circles on his chest, and she rested her chin on his shoulder, peering over him to watch the TV.

"Look, I don't know who the— _bleep—_ said that— _bleep—_ about my brother, but it weren't me, and it ain't true. Yeah, he fixed her car, and yeah, maybe they're— _bleep—_ but it ain't really my business or yours, is it? I can tell ya that my brother ain't some obsessed— _bleep-"_ Merle continued to rattle on, and Daryl covered his face with both hands, shaking his head. "Ain't you people got anything better to do? Who cares if they're bumping uglies or if they're just playin' checkers or some shit? Ya'll act like who's— _bleep—_ matters more than anything else. What the— _bleep—_ ever happened to privacy? Leave my brother alone. Leave Carol alone. Whatever they're doin' ain't none of your business."

The report went into several candid shots of the two of them on Daryl's motorcycle and on the side of the freeway the first day they met.

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Carol said softly, pressing a kiss to his ear.

"What the hell was that?"

"I think that was his middle finger to the media."

"They had to bleep out every other fuckin' word."

"I find the Dixon mouth refreshing," she teased. "Especially since I know exactly what it can do." She kissed the side of his neck then, and Daryl sighed.

"You really ain't mad about this?"

"Nope." She pulled herself out from behind him and moved into his lap, pulling her legs around his waist. His hands immediately went down her back and over her hips. "I was a little freaked out by them finding out about us at first, but to be honest, you're more a part of my life than the media is. I'm not ashamed. I'm happy. And I suppose if they want to speculate on my sex life, that's their right. We don't have to listen to any of it." Daryl thought for a moment, before he lay back on the mattress. Carol situated herself to straddle him, and she beamed at him, hands splaying over his chest before he pulled her down over him.

"How'd I get so lucky to meet you?" he asked, arching up to kiss her softly. She smiled against his mouth.

"I was asking myself the same question," she admitted. "This is crazy. I feel like my world's just flipped upside down. But it's a good feeling." She sighed softly and climbed off of him, stretching out on the bed next to him.

"You wanna get breakfast?"

"Breakfast sounds good," she said with a nod.

"I know a little place. You wanna go? It's kinda outta the way."

"Like Harrison's? Yeah, I could go for that," she nodded. "I need a shower. After last night, maybe two." She laughed then, covering her face with her hands. Daryl smirked, letting his gaze wander over her bare body.

"What?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow and watching the flush fill her cheeks.

"This. Us." She pulled her hands back and smiled at him. His heart warmed in his chest, and he chuckled. "I'm happy." She rolled onto her side then, curling into him, and he pulled his arms around her, kissing her softly.

She sighed against her mouth, lacing her fingers through his, trembling when his kisses grew hungrier, more insistent. She giggled when the stubble on his chin scraped over her jaw, and the second she felt his erection pressing into her thigh, she gently put her hand against his chest.

"We can't," she whispered. He pulled back, blinking at her, trying to process rational thought as his blood redirected in a southward route toward his groin.

"Huh?"

"We used the last of them." She nodded toward the empty condom box on the bedside table.

"Fuck," he muttered. She sighed softly when he buried his head against her chest, breath warming her skin as her fingertips danced over the curve of his spine. Finally, Carol's chest heaved with a deep breath, and she gently threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of Daryl's neck.

"Hey." She gently pushed on his shoulder, and he pulled back to look at her. "I know we've talked about being tested, but…maybe we should go ahead and get tested. For good measure." She flinched at her own words. "It's not that I don't trust you. Like I said, my last ex cheated on me, and I was tested, and everything was fine. But…."

"You wanna be sure," he offered. "I get it." He kissed her forehead. "I'll make an appointment today."

"You…you don't think this is moving too fast, do you?" she asked after a moment. Daryl watched her for a second before he rolled onto his back, bringing her on top of him again.

"Movin' a little fast, but I like fast. 'Specially with you." She laughed at that and shook her head. Then he saw the cloud of doubt wash over her face, and he sighed. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Her brows shot up in surprise.

"Don't go tryin' to talk me out of this. It's fast, but it ain't too much. You ain't scarin' me off that easy." She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, pouting her lips. "Nope. Nothin' is scarin' me off, so stop worryin' about it." His hands gripped her hips. "I don't wanna think you're thinkin' about walkin' away every time I see that look in your eyes. If it was too much, I'd tell ya. But it ain't. And I want you." He sat up then, and she curled her legs back around his waist, draping her arms over his broad shoulders. She saw his tongue dart out to lick his lips, and then he took a breath. "I…" She quickly clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Don't!"

"Wh…" His voice was muffled by her hands. She screwed her eyes shut and buried her face against his neck.

"Just…don't. Please." His shoulders slumped, and she removed her hand from his mouth. His hands moved up her arms, pushing her shoulders back, forcing her to look at him.

"You want me to lie to ya?"

"I want you to be sure," she whispered, cracking one eye open to see the bewildered expression on his face. "It's only been a few days."

"Don't mean I don't know how I feel." He reached up, stroking his thumb along her jaw. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes, and she felt tears prickle behind her eyelids. "You're scared." Her eyes flew open.

"Of course I'm scared. This is a scary thing. It's amazing, and it makes me feel good, but it's scary all the same."

"Why?"

"Because I told myself I wouldn't fall so easily for anyone again. Then you sort of came along and smashed that idea all to hell." Daryl smirked, and Carol sighed. She frowned, but Daryl tilted her chin up, making her look at him. "I'm kind of mad at myself. Mad at you for making me feel like this."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "M'sorry about that. Can I make it up to ya?" She crinkled her nose at him when he moved his hands up her waist and over her breasts.

"Oh, I'm sure you can think of something," she laughed, pulling him into a sweet kiss. He pulled back.

"But I can't say it?"

"Not yet," she pouted.

"But you…you feel it, too?"

"I do," she murmured. "I just need a minute."

"A minute? A day? A week?" He cocked his head to the side, waiting for her response. She laughed then, covering her face with her hands, before he forced her hands away and brought her into a kiss.

"Ok," she whispered. "Say it. Just…" She let out a deep breath, heart beating wild against her breast. "Say it." He grinned then, coming in close. Nose to nose. And then her own smile grew, and his heart leapt.

"Hey. I love you." She grinned wider then, and she kissed him slowly, trailing her fingertips up his spine. And when she pulled away, she rested her forehead against his.

"Damn it," she chuckled, teasing her fingertips over his jaw. "I love you, too."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Marathon

 _"Carol Mason, 34, was spotted leaving a medical center in Los Angeles early Thursday evening. She appeared to have a folder with her when she left. Dressed down in a grey, hooded sweatshirt, black yoga pants and oversized sunglasses, the actress appeared to not want to be noticed. That didn't stop our cameras from noticing her! Could this mean the actress and her new beau are expecting?"_

"Oh my God, what is this crap?" Michonne asked, tossing the magazine down on the coffee table. "You go to the doctor, and now you're knocked up? You aren't, are you?" Carol shot her a look.

"No! I was getting a few tests done."

"Are you alright?" Michonne asked, sitting down next to her friend.

"I'm fine, Mich," Carol chuckled. "Just blood work. Daryl's doing the same."

"Oh," Michonne said with a nod. Then, her eyes widened. "Oh! You mean…this is serious."

"It's pretty serious," Carol replied quietly, picking a piece of lint off of her blouse.

It had been a week since they'd admitted the depths of their feelings to each other, and it still felt a little strange to tell someone who was basically a stranger two weeks ago that she loved them. But only to the extent that it was still so new and so passionate. But she felt the words when she said them. She truly loved him, and it still scared the hell out of her.

"How serious are we talking here?" Michonne asked quietly. "You're getting blood tests for the guy?"

"And he is, too," Carol insisted.

"So it's just about giving up condoms then?"

"Oh my God," Carol groaned, covering her face with her hands. "No!"

"Well, somewhere in the middle, then?"

"I love him, Michonne," Carol finally explained. "And don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" Michonne asked, trying hard to keep her jaw from dropping into her lap.

"Like that! You're looking at me like I've been possessed or something."

"No I'm not," Michonne snorted.

"Yes you are."

"Hey, I have no room to judge. Rick's already suggesting we take a weekend away together, and I'm actually considering it."

"Rick. Rick…hmm. Oh! The Rick you've been seeing but still haven't introduced to your best friend in the world? That Rick?"

"Oh, shut up," Michonne muttered. "Is it bad that I want to have something all for me for a while?"

"Well, no, but he's not the last piece of cheesecake. You're going to have to share him eventually, and by share, I mean introduce him to me." She grinned brightly. "Come on. He's a cop, and he's a dad. That's _literally_ all you've give me."

"He's…good," Michonne said with a little smile.

"Good as in…"

"In all ways, good," she laughed. "I'm happy."

"Well, I can tell," Carol replied with a smirk. "I'm glad you're happy. I'm glad I'm happy. Happiness all around. I still want to meet the man that's making my best friend so happy." Michonne sighed and rolled her eyes at that, but she couldn't hide the smile that spread over her face immediately afterward.

"How about sometime next week? We'll do a double date. Someplace quiet. Maybe go out to Harrison's?"

"Sounds good," Carol replied with a nod.

"Oh, shit. I'm gonna be late for work. You know, those reports won't write themselves." She rolled her eyes. "I need a new job. You get Emmy-worthy actress, I get assistant to a soap opera casting director? I mean, I'm not gonna complain about looking at gorgeous actors trying to get a toe in the spotlight all day, but this really wasn't the dream." Carol pouted at her friend's mini pity party, and then they both laughed. "Call me tonight?"

"Of course," Carol replied, walking her friend out.

Just as soon as Michonne was gone, the phone rang, and Carol furrowed her brows, wondering who was calling her on her house phone. Then it clicked. The only person who ever called her on her house phone was…

"Hi, Mom," she answered, cringing as she prepared herself for what she could only imagine would be the tongue-lashing of the century.

"Carol Ann Mason, what's this I'm reading about you getting fertility treatments?"

"What?!" Carol asked, exasperated as she flopped down on the couch and put her hand over her face.

"It says here in _Limelight_ _Magazine."_ Charlotte Mason cleared her throat dramatically and began to read. "' _Charlotte Mason, 34, star of the hit series_ Apocalypse, California, _was seen leaving a medical center in Los Angeles earlier this week. This medical center is also the residence of one of Los Angeles' most sought-after fertility specialists, Dr. Edwin Jenner. Could the aging actress be seeking help to start a family with her new love, Daryl Dixon?_ '"

"Oh my God," Carol groaned. "Ageing actress? Really? I'm thirty-four."

"Why were you going to the doctor? Is everything ok?"

"Mom, you should know better than to believe that crap. I know you like your gossip, but come on. Don't you think if something was wrong, I'd call my own parents?" She heard Charlotte sigh in relief on the end of the line. "I was at the doctor, but it was just routine stuff. Nothing bad, I promise."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Carol chuckled.

"But if you _were_ pregnant, that wouldn't be such a bad thing. You know your father and I are eager for grandchildren."

"Mom, please," Carol choked out.

"Well, you're in a relationship now. When do you plan on bringing Daryl for a visit? He seems very handsome from the pictures I've seen."

"He's even more handsome in person, I promise," Carol beamed. "And we'll come out, soon. We're flying to New York in a few weeks for a convention. Maybe we can make it out at the end of next month?"

"Oh, I'll tell your father. I'm sure he can reschedule his fishing trip."

"No! Mom, please. You don't have to plan around me. I'll find a time that's good for everybody. I can't wait for you and Daddy to meet him." She chewed her bottom lip for a second. "Is everything ok at home, Mom?"

"We're fine, sweetie. I met a couple of your fans at the grocery yesterday."

"Oh?"

"I invited them over for lunch."

"Mom, you didn't have to do that."

"Are you kidding me? I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. These ladies were so kind and sweet, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. They really love your work."

"Well, that's really sweet, Mom. Just be careful. I wish you'd reconsider letting me buy you a new place with better security."

"Oh, I won't hear of it. This is my home, and I'm not leaving it. We'll get a dog." Carol sighed in exasperation.

"Mom, I've gotta go. I love you. Kiss Daddy for me, ok?"

"Of course," Charlotte chuckled. "And if you see Sean Connery, kiss him for me, too."

"I will," Carol laughed. "Bye, Mom." She hung up and hugged the phone to her chest for a moment before she put it back down to charge. She would have sat down and reminisced and felt homesick for a moment if her cell phone hadn't vibrated in that moment, alerting her to Daryl's arrival.

She took the stairs two steps at a time and greeted him at the front door with a big hug.

"Miss me?" he asked with a chuckle, pulling her close and kissing her softly.

"Always," she whispered, before leading him inside.

"That Michonne I passed at the gate?"

"Mmm. She's going to work."

"Kinda late, ain't it?"

"The casting director just got back from Miami this morning, so they've got a few auditions scheduled for this evening." She linked her fingers with Daryl's and led him into the living room.

"Oh, hey, I picked up somethin' that might make ya laugh." He unzipped his leather jacket when they settled down on the couch, and he pulled out a rolled up magazine.

"Oh, God. What's this one?" she snorted. On the front cover was a picture of her with the words " _Oh, baby!"_ underneath.

"When'd ya plan on to tell me we're havin' twins? 'Cause you'd think that's somethin' ya might wanna tell the father, huh?"

"Oh, shut up," she laughed, swatting at his arm before tossing the magazine onto the coffee table. "I hope you really didn't waste your money on that…"

"Nah. Picked it up on a park bench at lunch today." He pressed his lips against hers and pulled something else out from his coat pocket. "Got you somethin'."

"What? Daryl, you didn't have to…"

"Wanted to," he said quietly, as the paper bag crinkled in his hand. "I know your birthday's not 'til September." Carol's mouth opened in protest. "I Googled it."

"You sneak," she laughed.

"Thought of your eyes when I saw it." He watched as she took the paper sack into her hands, slowly pulling out a little black velvet box. He saw her brows rise for a moment, before her fingers delicately pried the box open. Inside was a beautiful, teardrop sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds on a dainty silver chain.

"Oh my God, Daryl," she whispered softly. "This is…it's too much."

"No it ain't," he replied with a shake of his head. "Saw it and had to get it for ya."

"You are…" She took a deep breath and shook her head. "You are the sweetest man I've ever known, Daryl Dixon."

"Here. Let me." He took the necklace into his hands and clasped it around her neck, watching the jewel settle against her chest. He gently pressed a finger against it before he tilted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. He kissed her then, soft and slowly, smiling against the kiss when she brought her hand up and threaded her fingers through his hair.

Carol curled her fingers around his, and she leaned in to kiss him softly.

"Thank you. It's beautiful. I wish I'd known. I'd have gotten you something, too."

"Well, you can always repay me in sexual favors," he teased, as Carol pushed at his shoulder.

"Well, that was sweet for two seconds," she laughed, as he pulled her in close.

"Oh, speaking of sexual favors," Daryl muttered, patting his pockets before coming forth with an open envelope.

"Uh…what's this?" she asked with an amused smirk.

"Blood tests came back normal. Go ahead, see for yourself."

"I trust you," she replied softly, stroking her thumb over his bottom lip.

"Yeah, I know, but you showed me yours yesterday. I gotta show you mine."

"Are we still talking about results?" She winked at him then and opened the envelope, reading a bunch of medical jargon that seemed to indicate everything was fine. Finally, she put the paper aside and looked at him. "Now what?"

"You, uh…get that other stuff?"

"My birth control, you mean?" she laughed. "Yeah." Daryl nodded then and chewed his lip for a moment as if in deep thought.

"Alright," he said slowly. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking, and she shook her head.

"Tonight," she laughed. "Tonight. I need food. You know, that thing that keeps us alive."

"Don't need food," he protested, leaning in to kiss her neck. She chuckled and ran her fingers through his hair, finding rational thought more and more difficult with each swipe of his tongue along her collarbone. "Daryl…." It came out as more of a whine, but her hands tugged at his jacket, pulling him into her a little more. He smirked against the kiss before pulling back. "I really _am_ hungry, you know."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Me too." He pulled out his cell phone, and she furrowed her brows.

"What are you doing?"

"Orderin' in. Ya don't gotta be dressed to get takeout."

"You're answering the door then," she laughed. Daryl smirked at that, and she gave him a soft kiss. "Ok, why don't you do that? I'm going to go shower, and you can wait for the delivery man." She gave him a sweet kiss.

"Pizza ok?"

"Extra cheese and extra sauce, please."

"My kinda woman," he said with a chuckle, pulling out his phone, as Carol tugged her shirt over her head unceremoniously. He eyed her for a moment, watching her run her hand down her neck and over her breast, giving it the gentlest of squeezes before she ran her hand over her smooth abdomen. "Uh…you sure you don't need any help washin' your back?"

"Nope. You wait for the pizza. I need my strength, and you're gonna need it, too. No food, no marathon sex."

"Marathon sex?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Marathon sex," she replied with a wink, before unzipping her jeans. He reached out for her, but she managed to get away just before he could grab for her. "Oh, double pepperoni, too!"

He stared after her until she disappeared up the stairs, and then he glanced down at his phone, trying to remember what it was he was supposed to be doing. All he could think about was her getting naked and wet upstairs and how he should have been up there with her.

Ten seconds later, he dialed the pizza place, placed his order and left specific instructions to leave the pizza with T-Dog at the gate. He paid, tossed his phone onto the couch and ran up the stairs as quickly as humanly possible, leaving a trail of clothes in his wake.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Happy Anniversary

His hands tangled into her hair when he pulled her into a fiery kiss. She gasped into his mouth, crying out softly when he slammed into her, hips rocking against hers as they lay entwined across the mattress, legs locked together, fingers gripping at anything for purchase.

She arched into his touch, chest heaving as he brought her closer to the edge again.

"So fuckin' tight," he growled against her mouth, receiving the surprise of her walls clenching around him for good measure. "Fuck!" Her nails bit into his biceps as he fucked her, slipping nearly all the way out before pushing home again, stretching her, making her ache in the most delicious way.

"Yeah," she panted, curling one leg around his hip to pull him closer. "Right there. Fuck! Harder, Daryl. Please…." And he happily obliged, slamming into her again, feeding the flames until the heat was too much. He held out as long as he could, toying with her clit to bring her closer, and when he felt her walls clench around him when she collapsed beneath him, he let go, spilling himself inside of her, burying his moans against her neck.

When he pulled out and rolled to his back, he covered his face with his hands, pushing the heels into his eyes for a moment, groaning as his lungs burned with the ache for breath.

"Shit," he murmured, as Carol brought her hand to his stomach, gently circling his bellybutton with her fingertips.

"Happy one-month anniversary," she chuckled against his cheek, pressing a kiss there. He snorted in response, and she laughed, nipping at his earlobe.

"If that's one month, I can't wait for one year."

"Yeah?" she asked softly.

"Two years," he murmured, pressing his lips against hers. "Mmm…ten years."

"You really think so?" she asked softly. "You think we'll be together in ten years?"

"You don't?" he asked, caressing her back when he pulled her in close. She draped herself across his chest, pressing lazy kisses to his forehead, while his hand roamed down the silky length of her back.

"I _hope_ so," she whispered softly, pressing kisses along his neck. Daryl pulled his arms snugly around her, and they turned so he was hugging her from behind, pressing kisses against the back of her shoulder.

His hand moved up and down her side then, massaging slow, gentle circles. She smiled, warming under his touch.

"Wish you didn't have to work today," he muttered.

"You have to work today, too," she chuckled. "I'll see you tonight, you know."

"Ain't the same," he pouted, burying his face against the back of her neck. She laughed then, turning in his arms, smile bright and wide as she shook her head at him.

"It's just dinner. It's not the end of the world. Besides, Michonne and I have been planning this meet and greet with her new guy for a while now."

"So I gotta go to dinner with this dude I don't even know?"

"But I'll be there, and so will Michonne. Besides, if you're good, there might be some kinky shower sex in it for you when we get home."

"How 'bout kinky shower sex now and skip dinner?"

'You're awful," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him. "And I love you for it." He snickered and pressed soft kisses down her neck. "You better stop. We'll both be late. I have that big fight scene today, and makeup is going to give me hell if they have to cover hickeys."

"Pfft, they can pass 'em off as bruises, can't they?" Carol paused for a moment.

"I like the way you think," she laughed, as Daryl continued to press sweet kisses all over her neck.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Fifth Wheel

It was a big crowd at Harrison's that night, so Carol had called ahead to ask Andrea to reserve the private room for their dinner. She honestly wasn't that worried about somebody spotting her, but she didn't want to put anybody else in the group in an uncomfortable position.

Carol and Daryl had arrived about fifteen minutes early and ordered a round of drinks. A still star-struck Amy seemed eager to prove herself to her sister and managed to make it through ordering appetizers with a smile and a nervous, shaky hand. She still looked like she might bust from excitement, but she was doing a pretty good job of keeping her cool.

"You wore it," Daryl noticed when Carol shrugged off her jacket and stood to hang it up on a hook behind the booth. He was, of course, referring to the necklace he'd bought her. The sapphire went well with the dark jeans and the white blouse she'd chosen for the evening. Her eyes seemed to sparkle when she smiled at him.

"Of course I did," she said softly, touching the sapphire with the pad of her fingertip. "It's beautiful and makes me think of you." Daryl swallowed a lump in his throat, and he stood up, moving to pull her into his arms.

"You wanna dance with me?"

"You dance?" she asked with a grin.

"Not well," he admitted. "But I ain't opposed to holdin' a beautiful woman against my body."

"Oh, well, in that case," she laughed, tangling her fingers with his. Daryl squeezed her hand and led her out under the bright lights, tugging her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Feels like the 7th grade dance. You know, the one where the girl picks the guy?"

"Sadie Hawkins?"

"Yeah, that one," Daryl said with a nod. "Didn't know where to put my hands."

"Well, I like the way you're thinking now, but I'm not sure it's dinner party appropriate." Daryl looked down to find his hands resting on her ass, and he smirked.

"Well, fuck 'em if they don't like it." She laughed then, but he moved his hands up to her waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning softly when he leaned down to kiss her.

"Holy shit, I knew that was your truck out there." Daryl and Carol froze, mid-kiss, before Daryl groaned and shot a glance in the direction of the double doors leading out to the bar. The second he saw his brother, his hands moved off of Carol's ass.

"Fuck, Merle, would ya get in here before the rest of the bar sees in here?" Merle chuckled and walked in, shutting the door behind himself.

"Well, I heard Andrea's baby sister talkin' all hush-hush about what was goin' on in this room, so I figured it was either illegal or someone famous was in the house." He sniffed the air and clucked his tongue. "Now I ain't into that shit no more, but he, curiosity killed the cat. 'Sides, I put two and two together and figured you were here."

"Well, we ain't gonna be alone for long," Daryl replied, shooting a glare at his brother. Merle didn't seem to take the hint.

"Well, I was fixin' to ask to you if I could crash at the apartment for a few days. Paula kicked my ass out again, and I know you been livin' in the lap of luxury, washin' your dick in glacier water or some shit."

"Christ," Daryl grunted. "M'sorry."

"It's ok," she chuckled, hiding a grin when she looked over her shoulder to bite back a laugh. Merle noticed the way Carol's shoulders shook then, and he grinned.

"See? Least someone likes me, ain't that right, Carrie?"

"Go to hell, Merle," she said with a shake of her head and a little laugh. Daryl turned to look at Carol again, and she looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes from holding back her laughter.

"Michonne's gonna be here soon. Want me to get rid of him?"

"You say Michonne?" Merle asked, stepping closer. He ran his hand over the back of his head. "Y'know, I think I might just stick around if ya don't mind."

"You ain't invited," Daryl replied, taking a defiant step toward his brother. But, it was too late. The doors opened, and in walked Michonne and her date. The second Merle set his sights on her, he was striding across the room to greet her like he was hosting the damned party.

"Fuck," Daryl groaned.

"Hey, it's ok. He's your brother," Carol urged.

"But he ain't s'posed to be here."

"Well, Michonne's my family, and Merle's yours. I'm ok with it, really," Carol offered. "I like Merle."

"Yeah, well, that makes one of us right now."

"Aw, Pookie, don't worry. I'll let you touch my ass again later." She kissed the tip of his nose, and his face turned red. She gave his hand a little squeeze before leading him across the room to greet Michonne and meet the mysterious Rick Grimes.

...

"So, you known Carol long?" Rick asked, taking a swig off of his beer.

"Little over a month."

"Couldn't believe it when Michonne told me who her friend was. Hell, I'm a huge fan. I mean, look at her. She's beautiful." Daryl narrowed his eyes at the other man, as he looked across the room at Carol and Michonne, who were currently finishing off the mostly-abandoned game of pool. Merle had gone to take a piss about ten minutes ago, and Daryl was starting to wonder if he should go look for him.

"Yeah, she's great," Daryl said quietly.

"I mean, she's an amazing actress. She's just…I'm sorry. I'm kind of in shock. I sort of want to ask her for her autograph, but that might be a little weird." Daryl shrugged then. "You watch the show?"

"Actually, I ain't really gotten 'round to it. I've seen her work though. You're right. She's amazing." Carol looked up from the table after sinking a shot, and she smiled at him. He grinned before taking a sip of his beer. "So, you and Michonne?"

"Yeah, she's…God, she's just…I have no words." Rick sighed heavily.

"Amazing?" Daryl suggested, given Rick's star-struck vocabulary. Rick snorted and clinked the neck of his beer against Daryl's.

"I have a fifteen year old son who just…well, he hates me. He actually hates me and thinks I'm the biggest asshole in the world for divorcing his mom. And my daughter Judith—she's four—thinks the world revolves around me. I mean, weekends at my place are kinda interesting. My son used to think I was a superhero or something. I guess he grew up too fast. Judy was lucky. She was just a baby when we split up. You ever been married, Daryl?"

"Nope," Daryl said with a shake of his head. "All I know is when I do, it's gonna be the first and last time." He took another sip of beer and watched the way Carol whispered something to Michonne when Merle came back into the room, walking past them—all swagger and bravado—before taking a shot of whisky and grabbing for a pool cue.

"I think your brother's got a thing for my girlfriend," Rick pointed out.

"Yeah, he ain't subtle, is he?" The two laughed and got up to join the other three back at the pool table.

"Alright, let's start a new game," Rick offered. "Losing team buys the last drinks of the night."

"I'm all played out," Daryl grumbled, giving Carol a look that normally would have been more subtle, but given the fact that he had a few drinks in him, it was more than obvious that the look meant 'let's get the hell outta here so we can fuck like animals.' She squeezed her thighs together, wondering if anybody noticed the temperature rise in the room, too, or if it was just her.

"Hell, I need a partner then," Merle decided. "Hey, Andrea!" he yelled. Daryl cringed.

"You're drunk. Sit your ass down, Merle."

"Hey, now…" The door swung open, and Andrea glared at Merle from across the room.

"I've got work to do, Merle? What the hell do you want?" Andrea huffed.

"Come take a load off. Join our game. Maybe got a nice, big prize waitin' for ya at the end of the night." He licked his lips and winked at her.

"You're a pig, Dixon," she groaned. "Daryl, I'm not surprised I didn't have a clue who you were. Merle's been coming here for months, and I never would have guessed somebody as nice as you could have such an asshole for a brother."

"Always been the sweet one, my little brother," Merle said proudly, as Andrea rolled her eyes and crossed the room.

"Ten minutes," she offered. "And this better be good, because I'm using up my last break for this."

...

As the game started up, Daryl took the opportunity to go take a piss. The small, private bathroom in the back was kept nice and clean for a bar's standards.

Just as he was finishing at the sink, he heard the door swing open. It shut quickly thereafter, and when he heard the lock click, she turned to see Carol with her back pressed against the door and a wild gleam in her eyes.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked, stepping toward her.

"I think Rick and Merle are about to start a pissing contest,' she laughed. "They're gonna be at this all night." She licked her lips then and pushed off from the door, stumbling slightly as her head swam. She grabbed Daryl by the front of the shirt, and he stumbled into her, turning and leaning back against the door. "And I just couldn't wait to get you alone."

"Jesus," he groaned, as she pressed into him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, and he groaned the second her hand shot down his pants and curled around his cock. He nearly choked, and she pulled back, grinning up at him wickedly.

"What?"

"You're evil," he groaned. "They know you're in here?"

"I said I was stepping out to take a phone call. I snuck back in."

"You think they ain't gonna notice?" he asked, as she tore away from him and unzipped her jeans, tugging them down her hips along with her panties.

"You better be quick then," she whispered, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him down against her in a heated kiss. "I've seen you looking at me, and you have no idea how fucking wet I've been for the past half hour."

"Fuck," he groaned, feeling his cock harden with each breathy word. His nostrils flared when she turned and leaned over the sink, bending over enough to show him how went she was, and he nearly came at that moment. "God, you're…amazing." It was really the only word he could come up with considering he felt like his brain had melted and his blood was flowing directly toward his cock.

He tugged his pants down, grabbing his dick and giving it a few strokes for good measure before he pressed up against her from behind and slid home. She gasped loudly, crying out the second he was buried to the hilt. He ran his hand up her back and over her neck, gripping her just firmly enough to get her attention before he leaned over her and huffed against her ear.

"You best be quiet if I gotta be quick." She laughed then, grinding back against him, and he groaned at the friction.

"Fuck," she rasped out, biting down on her bottom lip until she tasted copper, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as he began to fuck her, pulling out before slamming home repeatedly, picking up the pace as he drew his arm around her waist and moved his hand down to cup her pussy. He rubbed her clit in time with his thrusts, and he let out a string of expletives against her ear, hoping he wasn't too loud, but at that point, he was too far gone to care.

She gripped the sink as he gripped her hips, and she wriggled her hips against his before he pulled out and slammed home again, picking up the pace again until it felt like she was melting around him.

"Fuck," he choked out, letting the flutter of her walls bring him over the edge.

He fell over her then, breathing hard against the back of her neck as he softened inside of her.

"Christ, I ain't never done that before," he chuckled, as she raised her arm up to curl around his neck. She turned her head to kiss him, and she laughed when he gave her bare ass a little squeeze.

"First time for everything," she whispered, as he pulled back to stuff himself into his jeans. She quickly put herself together before turning to thank him with a soft kiss.

"You done that before?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Mmm…maybe," she teased. "Does that surprise you?"

"A little," he offered, pulling her in close. "But it's hot as hell." Carol laughed then, patting his cheek and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Just a little appetizer before we get home," she whispered. "Alright, I'll sneak out first." She pulled out her phone, and he watched her in amazement as she unlocked the door and slipped out. And all he could do was wonder how the hell this was even his life. With a silly grin on his face, he glanced at himself in the mirror before ducking out the re-join the group, hoping like hell his face didn't show all the dirty things he wanted to do to her when they got home.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: New York

"Daryl Dixon!" Carol exclaimed, red-faced and wide-eyed when she walked into her bedroom. He froze, caught red-handed with the very thin, very see-through black panties in his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Uh…you asked me to come over and help ya pack, remember?"

"Yeah, but I didn't say go through that bag I had hidden at the very back of the top of my closet. God, you're like a bloodhound when it comes to my underwear." Daryl waggled his eyebrows at her and started to open his mouth to speak when she made a face. "Oh, don't even start." She yanked the pair of panties out of his hand before grabbing for the matching bra in his other.

"I swear I didn't mean to see it. I tried to get yer suitcase down from the top, and it just fell out. I swear."

"Well, the surprise is ruined now, so I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?" She wasn't even close to being mad, but she felt like pouting about it anyway. She quickly tucked the surprise underwear into her luggage. Daryl watched her for a moment, wondering if she was really mad but getting his answer when she peeked over his shoulder and offered him a grin.

"Hell, I thought you were really mad," he chuckled, taking her hand and leading her to the bed. He was barefoot and wearing nothing but his jeans, and the button was undone, leading Carol's gaze to entirely inappropriate and fun places.

She sighed when he sunk down onto the mattress and pulled her between his legs. She was all but ready for bed, dressed in a soft, blue spaghetti-strap shirt and a matching pair of blue shorts. Daryl sighed when he buried his face against her stomach and she gently raked her fingers through his hair.

"Missed you today," he murmured, lifting her shirt just enough to kiss the soft skin on her stomach.

"Me too," she whispered, closing her eyes and biting her lip as his hands roamed down the backs of her legs and her calves before coming up to her ass and over her back. He finally settled them at her hips and peered up at her, noticing the way her nipples poked at the fabric of her sleep shirt. "It was a _long_ day. I swear I wasn't sure they were ever going to be satisfied with that scene. I'll be lucky if my ass isn't black and blue tomorrow with all the falling I had to do." She frowned as Daryl's hand skimmed over her backside.

"I can check that for ya."

"Oh, stop," she chuckled. She let him pull her into his lap, and she wrapped her legs around him, draping her arms lovingly at his shoulders. "Tomorrow's gonna be crazy, you know? The airports are gonna be crowded, and I'm sure the paparazzi will be there. We might have a little break when we get to New York, but they're pretty bad there, too. And then Saturday, I'll be tied up with photo ops and panels. We probably won't even see each other, so I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to hang out at the hotel."

"Sounds like somethin' the last guys you been with would do."

"Daryl, just because…look, you don't have to go if you don't want to." She frowned. "I don't want you to think I expect you to act one way because one of my exes may have acted another way. I don't want that in your head." Daryl pressed his lips against hers and pulled back, grinning at her a little.

"I wanna see you with 'em. These fans are payin' money to come see you. They love you. Or, ya know, Olivia. They just wanna be near you. Hell, I get to be near ya anytime I want all for free. These folks just wanna have a chance to see their hero."

"Please, that's the last thing I am."

"Well, when Olivia saved that girl in the first episode, she was pretty much the biggest hero of the whole damned show. I mean, that's kind the point, right?" He watched the smile twitch at the corner of her mouth. "What?"

"You watched it?"

"Huh?"

"You watched the first episode?" She saw the redness fill his cheeks then. "When?!"

"Last night," he admitted.

"You didn't tell me?"

"You were workin' late, and I was flippin' through the channel. Hell, sweetheart, you're the best damned thing about that show. Now I ain't sayin' it's bad, but you make it what it is. I mean, you're amazing." Carol smiled a little and shook her head.

"It's just work. It's not my life." She kissed him softly then. " _This_ is what I look forward to at the end of the day. _You're_ who I'm thinking about coming home to when those scenes just drag on and on." She sighed softly. "I think you've turned me into a…a girlfriend. A girlfriend who does nothing but thinks about her boyfriend and having sex with her boyfriend. I mean, you've created a monster."

"Me? You blamin' this on me?"

"Mmm." She grinned, and she chuckled as he threaded his fingers through her hair.

"Guess there's worse things to be guilty of," he chuckled. "C'mere." She opened up to him then, savoring the sweet taste of the spearmint toothpaste that lingered on his breath. She sighed, closing her eyes as his hands moved gently over her back before clutching at her blouse and bringing it over her head.

"Getting right to it, huh?" she laughed.

"Mmm, just gettin' started," he promised. He gently pushed her onto her back, and he stood up, tugging his jeans off before he rid her of her sleep shorts, finding her without panties, something that seemed to happen more and more often the more often he slept over at her place.

A beautiful blush crept into her cheeks and her chest, and her rosy nipples hardened in the cool air. He watched as she moved her hands down her stomach and between her legs. She spread her legs for him then, and she used one hand to squeeze her thigh, while the other toyed with her clit.

He grabbed his cock, pumping it slowly in his hand as he enjoyed the show. Her eyes locked on his, and she bit back any reservations she may ever have had about masturbating in front of a lover when she heard the moan escape his lips.

Her gaze dragged down his body and over his stiff cock, purple head bulging at the core of his hand. She gasped softly when she saw the drop bead at the tip, and she reached out for him, stroking him, hand sticky with her own juices, and his hips bucked forward. He wanted to bury himself inside of her. He wanted to lose himself with her. But first, he wanted her to feel good. She'd had a long day, and he wanted her to know just how much he loved her. And he didn't want her to have to do it herself.

"Lay back," he urged, biting back the whine that bubbled up in his throat the second she let go of his cock. She nodded then, lying back as he crawled over her, and he gave his dick a couple more tugs. He moved his hands up her arms, raising them above her head, guiding her hands up to rest on the pillow. Carol closed her eyes as Daryl kissed her softly before taking his time moving down her neck and her chest, teasing each breast before he kissed her stomach.

She whimpered softly when he traced his tongue along the patch of skin below her belly button. She thought she might certainly die if he didn't touch her soon, and her blood was already beginning to boil.

But then he spread her out before him, settling between her legs, shifting as he struggled to forget about his own throbbing cock and just make her feel good.

She gasped the second his tongue was on her clit, teasing it in slow, gentle swipes, before he spread her open a little more with his fingers, wrapping his lips around the sweet little bud, sucking gently until her head was slamming back against the mattress.

"Oh my God," she moaned, knees trembling as Daryl's fingers trailed down her slit, gently stroking her folds, teasing her entrance but not penetrating. Her walls fluttered, and she could feel her body preparing for him, as if he'd found some primitive secret.

She felt like she was melting from the inside, and she heard his moan when the juices coated his tongue. He moaned in appreciation, and she bit back another cry when his lips curled around her clit again.

"Daryl. Fuck. Oh God, yes. Yes. Don't stop." He growled softly then, slowly pushing in two fingers as his tongue slowly massaged her clit, bringing her over the edge within moments. But he stroked her through it, keeping his eyes locked on hers as her breasts bounced with each uneven breath, as her eyes screwed shut in pleasure, as her skin broke out in a sheen of sweat that he just wanted to taste. But first things first.

Her hips bucked skyward the second he found that sweet spot, and he stayed there, gently curling his fingers against her walls, massaging that spot as his tongue and lips worked her clit until the throbbing little bud was so sensitive she was digging her fingers into his hair, uncertain if she should shove him off or keep him there between her thighs.

He let her decide, moving to lap up her juices and give her clit a break, stroking her with his fingers at the same time. When she gave his hair a little tug, he grinned and went back to her clit, flattening his tongue against it, putting just enough pressure against it that when he began to move his fingers just a little faster, it sent her over the edge once again.

When she let go of his hair and pushed back against the mattress, body arching, he backed off and let her fly, licking his lips and his fingertips, hungry for more but feeling the ache in his throbbing cock building tenfold.

He crawled over her then, gently threading his fingers through her hair, pressing his lips against hers softly as she opened up to him. She could taste herself on his lips, and it was arousing and intoxicating, and it had never been something she would have found erotic until Daryl came along. Everything he did seemed to turn her on and make her crave him even more.

"How are you so good?" she panted, cracking her heavy eyelids open to force herself to look into his piercing blue gaze. "I swear you could teach a class on that." She paused. "Or not. I'll keep you to myself, thanks." He snorted at that and buried his face against her neck. They laughed together, and she curled her fingers at the base of his neck, moaning softly when she felt his tongue and teeth against her collarbone, nipping and licking as she shifted her hips, bringing his pelvis flush against hers.

Her core was throbbing, and he slid against her damp folds, groaning as he pumped his hips against hers for friction. She whined softly against his ear, breath hitching as he slowly slipped inside of her, stretching her, filling her, making her ache in that beautiful way she'd come to crave.

She braced herself for that moment that he'd pull out and slam back home, but she cracked one eye open when it never came, and she relaxed, opening both eyes to stare up into his. She smiled when she saw the way he was looking at her, and it nearly brought her to tears. Never had a man looked at her this way, like his every happiness lived inside of her, as if she were the center of his world.

Her breath stilled in her chest for a moment, before his lips pressed softly against hers, lips trembling against her mouth as their fingers entwined together.

"Daryl," she whispered, raising one hand up to curl into his hair. He buried his face against her neck, sucking gently at her neck as he began to move inside of her, slowly and gently rocking his hips against hers, reaching back to grip her thigh and drape her leg over his hip.

His sinewy arms braced against the mattress as Carol's hands broke free from his and traced a path down his strong back. Her nails bit into him as he picked up the pace, taking his time but knowing she liked it when he sped things up just to slow down again in the end, drawing out the inevitable, making it somehow that much more powerful.

Only this time he would kiss her like it was the first time all over again, savoring the taste of her, savoring the wet, softness of her tongue.

She trembled when his hand dipped between them, teasing her clit and making her knees shake.

"So beautiful," he whispered against her chest, palming a breast and teasing the hardened peak with the flat of his tongue, watching her arch back and squeeze her eyes shut and beg for more.

"Daryl, please," she whined. "I need…"

"Open your eyes, sweetheart," he growled against her ear. "Wanna see your eyes when I make you come." Her eyes opened wide the second his thumb teased across her clit again, and her nails bit into the flesh on his lower back. She squeezed her thighs around his hips, bringing him in deeper, crying out in pleasure when he hit that spot. And one more sweep of his thumb across her clit was her undoing, and he covered her mouth with his own the second his name burst from her lips. He swallowed down her cries of pleasure, rocking his hips against hers, groaning and straining to hold on as her fluttering walls urged him toward his own release.

Finally, she came down, and he let go, spilling inside of her, feeling her nails bite deeper into his skin until they were both still. And when he pulled back, framing her face with his hands, he saw the tears that filled her eyes and threatened to spill over.

"You ok?" he asked gently, tracing the outline of her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb.

"You," she whispered, "are the best thing that's ever happened to me." She kissed the pad of his thumb, and he pressed his lips against her forehead. "I love you so much."

"Hey, don't cry," he murmured, kissing her chin and then that spot between her neck and her shoulder. "Don't cry, baby."

"I'm sorry," she chuckled, bringing her hands up over her face. "I don't know what's wrong with me. This all happened so fast, and maybe it's catching up to me." He chuckled then and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But it's the best damned thing that's ever happened to me." He slowly pulled out of her, slipping off of her to bring the sheet up over the both of them. His hand sought hers, and he ran his thumb over her knuckles.

He reached for her then, needing to feel the warmth of her skin against his, to feel her breath against his neck when she curled into him like she always did before they fell asleep. Somehow, inevitably, he'd end up spooning with her, face buried against the back of her neck, hands stretched across her stomach. But this was how he liked to fall asleep, holding her in his arms and feeling her heart beat against his.

...

Apocalypse, California _star, Carol Mason, and mechanic boyfriend Daryl Dixon, were spotted at LAX early this morning. She dressed casual, in a pair of yoga pants and a long, baggy sweater, sporting dark sunglasses and clinging to a very large cup of coffee. Dixon kept it casual, too, wearing sweats and smoking a cigarette as they walked from the cab to the terminal doors. It must be love for the mechanic, 33, who appears to be accompanying his girlfriend to New York, where she is scheduled to appear at NYC Comic Con this weekend. Speculation began earlier this month that the new couple might be expecting a baby, and Mason's oversized sweater does nothing to quell those rumors. Could baby Mason-Dixon really be on the way?_

"I know ya said we was gonna sightsee, but I'm bushed," Daryl murmured, flopping face first onto the oversized, extremely comfortable bed in their suite.

"Hmm."

"Hmm?" He turned his head just enough to see her furrowing her brows as she crossed the room with her phone in her hand. "You wanna take a nap 'fore we go runnin' around?"

"Mmm." She nodded and chewed on her lower lip, continuing to scroll through whatever she was reading on the phone.

"We could go to the Statue of Liberty," he offered, eyeing her as she sat down next to him on the bed.

"Yeah," she muttered. "Ok." Daryl smirked, sitting up and crawling behind her on the bed, putting his hands on her shoulders, kneading them gently.

"Yeah, and then we could strip naked and run down Broadway singin' showtunes before bungee jumpin' off the Empire State Building."

"Ok, that's fine."

With a grunt, Daryl swiped for her phone, and she gasped in surprise.

"Hey!"

"What's goin' on?"

"Nothing," she pouted, as Daryl handed her her phone back.

"What'd they say this time?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied again. At his look, she sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "Do I look fat?"

"What?" he snorted.

"I mean, look at me." She stood up, smoothing down the sweater and turning to the side.

"No, ya don't look no different than you did the day I met ya."

"Are you sure?"

"Look, I ain't sure how to answer this question, to be honest with ya. I mean, somehow, I feel like this is one of them questions that could get a guy in trouble no matter what he says. But, sweetheart, you're perfect to me."

"So you think I'm fat?" she asked with a snort, though she was only teasing. Daryl cocked an eyebrow, and tugged Carol down to lay beside him on the bed. She rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin up in her hands.

"They _really_ want people to think I'm pregnant."

"Well, fuck 'em. We know ya ain't. And you ain't fat." He kissed her softly.

"I'm starting to understand how Jennifer and Angelina must feel."

"Huh?"

"Oh, forget it," she chuckled, stroking his cheek. "You know, I _am_ pretty tired. You want to call room service, have them send up some lunch? We can rest up and go out tonight. The city's so beautiful at night."

"Sounds good," he murmured, yawning and shifting to sit up.

"Where you going?" she asked, reaching up to put her hand on his back.

"Gotta take a piss. Think I had too much to drink on the plane."

"I saw that stewardess slip you a couple extra. I think she liked you."

"I think I slipped her fifty bucks to keep my soda spiked." At Carol's look, he smirked. "I ain't a great flyer."

"Are you drunk?"

"Buzzed," he murmured. "Why? You gonna take advantage of me?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Go pee," she laughed, rolling back to lie on her stomach and bury her face against the fluffiest pillows she could ever remember resting on.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Daryl nearly tripped over his own two feet when he caught sight of the size of the shower. It was twice as big as the one Carol had at home, big enough for at least four people. That thought made him chuckle, wondering why four people would want to take a shower at the same time.

He really didn't have to take a piss. He'd gone on the plane right before they'd started to land. Instead, he put down the toilet seat lid and sat down, digging his phone out of his pocket and scrolling through the browser.

He knew he wasn't going to have Carol all to himself on this little weekend getaway, so he wanted to make sure that the time they had together was memorable. He wanted her to know he'd made an effort and that he wasn't just here to enjoy himself at her expense. He'd kept his word to himself that he'd pay his own way, and he'd saved back enough from the plane tickets to treat Carol to a nice time. He only hoped his nerves wouldn't get the best of him.

It wasn't like they didn't already know each other in the Biblical sense, and they'd gone on dates, but something about this was different. Even though they seemed to spend every waking and non-working moment together, he just wanted more of her, and now after spending the morning on a plane with her and forty-five minutes in heavy New York traffic in a smelly cab, he wanted more of her. He'd never truly been this happy to just be in someone's presence before.

In the middle of scrolling through date options, his phone buzzed, and he smirked to see that Merle was finally venturing into texting.

 _This fucking phone is a piece of shit. How the hell do you work it anyway?_

 _Merle, what's up?_

 _So Paula broke things off for good. Told me not to come back and to pack up my shit._

 _Sorry, bro._

 _Yeah, well, no big loss. Hey, you think Michonne's still with that prick cop?_

 _Uh, yeah. They're pretty serious._

 _Fuck. Well, I'm goin out tonight. Pussy's pussy, right?_

 _No wonder you're single._

 _Well, least I didn't marry her. Ain't never gonna be that stupid. So, how's the Big Apple?_

 _Don't know yet. Just got here._

 _Hey, how's the baby? Saw where you knocked her up._

 _Fuck off._

 _You'd tell me if I was gonna be an uncle, right? I might be a shit boyfriend and an asshole of a brother, but I'd be a damn fine uncle._

 _You ain't gonna be an uncle._

 _Slow swimmers?_

 _Fuck you. I gotta go._

 _Don't worry. I won't burn the garage down, but I can't guarantee you won't need to burn your bed sheets when you get home. I got big plans, if ya know what I mean._

 _Thanks for the image, Merle. Think I got some of your old antibiotics in the medicine cabinet. Check the dates. Don't be a dumbass._

 _Thanks for the tip, bro. Have a good trip._

Daryl couldn't help but chuckle to himself and shake his head. Some things would never change.

He quickly went back to scrolling through his phone, and when he had a pretty good idea of where he wanted to take her, he tucked his phone away and joined her out in the main part of the suite. She was breathing evenly and lying there with her eyes closed when he crawled back onto the bed.

"You sleepin'?"

"Mmm," she murmured, curling into him and burying her face against his neck. "This is nice." She kissed the hollow of his throat, and he felt his blood begin to run a little hotter and his heart begin to race. But she settled down, and he curled his arms around her, closing his eyes and letting the peaceful silence of their hotel suite lull them into a much-needed nap.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: It Happened Last Night

"Ow!" Carol groaned, leaning down to rub her shin after she ran into something hard.

"Shit. Sorry. I suck at this."

"Yeah, just a little, but it's ok." She sighed when Daryl laced his fingers back with hers. "Wouldn't it be a lot easier if you'd just let me see where we're going?"

"Yeah, but you ain't allowed to peek."

"I don't feel comfortable walking around New York City with my eyes closed. And _you've_ never been here before. Forgive me for being a little worried here."

"Just trust me, alright? We ain't walkin' much further." He tapped at his phone, and Carol snorted when she heard the phone beep.

"Oh, this is reassuring. You're looking for directions on your phone, aren't you?"

"Would ya hush?"

"Oh, fine. Just so you know, I love you more than anything in this entire world. I just wanted you to know, you know, just in case we never see each other again after tonight."

"What the hell are ya talkin' about?"

"Oh, you're so cute. You're a New York virgin."

"Stop," Daryl snorted. And then they did stop. "We're here." He watched as she crinkled her nose. "Breathe."

"Yeah, I'm breathing. It smells like horse shit," she pointed out.

"Very observant," he chuckled, lifting the blindfold from her eyes. She smiled when she saw the horse-drawn carriage waiting for them.

"Oh my God," she chuckled, squinting into the afternoon sun. "We're doing this? I've always wanted to do this!"

"Yeah, I know. I found one of yer interviews online where you talked about how the next time you was in New York, you wanted to take a carriage ride. So here we are."

"God, you're the perfect man, I swear," she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. He held her tight, lifting her enough to get her feet off the ground. "And you are getting a _huge_ thank you tonight when we get back to the hotel." Daryl smirked at that, and he took her hand, leading her around to the side of the carriage. Just as Carol was grabbing on to hoist herself up, the familiar sound of a paparazzo's camera flash ticked through the air.

"Ms. Mason! Ms. Mason! Are you enjoying New York City? What can people look forward to at the convention tomorrow? Any comments on the baby rumors?" Carol froze for a moment, but Daryl wasted no time in helping her up into the carriage and turning to face the photographer.

"Hey, c'mon, man. Back off."

"Just doing my job, bro," the younger man said, snapping his gum and flashing the camera right in Daryl's face. Daryl winced and took a step back.

"Back off," Daryl warned. "Give her some space." The younger man took a step back but continued to flash pictures. Daryl paid the driver to take off quickly, but the horse was only going to go so fast. Daryl settled into the carriage next to Carol and pulled his arm around her. "M'sorry."

"It's ok. It happens," she replied with a sigh. She chewed her bottom lip. "I'm starting to think maybe it's because I'm _too_ private about my life." She chuckled. "Glenn's been trying to convince me to start a social media account, you know, to communicate with the fans."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"I don't know. I mean, some people share way too much. Maybe if I made one, posted once or twice a week, they might back off."

"Or they might come after ya even more." Carol shrugged at that.

"Yeah. Maybe. I guess it's not really a bad idea. I just hate the idea of any of my exes seeing the things I post." She rolled her eyes. "Ed was a piece of work. I'm pretty sure he was stealing from me. And don't get me started on the last guy."

The carriage took a turn, and finally, the paparazzo was out of their sight. Carol realized they'd turned into Central Park, and up ahead was the beautiful Bethesda fountain, all lit up as dusk settled over the city. The carriage stopped short of the fountain, however, and Daryl gave Carol a look that she couldn't read.

"What's going on?"

"Trust me?" he asked. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. He hopped out of the carriage and took her hand in his, passing another bill to the driver. "Give us a few minutes?" The driver nodded, and Daryl took Carol's hand, leading her toward the fountain. "M'glad you wanted me to come."

"Me too," she admitted with a grin, squeezing his hand. The cool air settled over her skin like a thin blanket, and Daryl saw her shiver. He pulled his arm around her shoulders.

"I wanna be with you." His voice was low but even, and his words were sure. Carol bit her bottom lip, and her heart began to race. "I wanna wake up with ya every mornin'. I wanna go to bed with you at night. I just…I go crazy thinkin' about ya when we ain't together."

"Me too," she admitted. "I want those things, too. Maybe we can find a place together, someplace that's not mine or yours. Someplace we can both feel at home." She smiled when he kissed the side of her head.

"I wanna marry you."

"Daryl," she gasped, snapping her gaze up to meet his.

"And I ain't never been more sure about anything in my life. I love you, and I know that ain't temporary. I know I'm gonna feel that way a month from now. A year from now. Ten years from now, we're gonna have a family, and I'm gonna be even more in love with ya than I am right now." They stopped at the fountain, and Carol turned to face him. He took her hands in his, and her lower lip trembled as she looked up at him.

"I never thought I could trust anybody again, until you came into my life. You brought out something in me that I didn't even know was there. I like the person I am when I'm with you. I love that you can look at me and just _know_ what I'm thinking. What I need. You're more than just my boyfriend. I love you so much, and it scares me how much I do, sometimes." She let out a shaky breath. "In one month, you've taught me more about love than I ever knew before. I want those things with you. I want a life. I want a family. And I'm terrified of that."

"I think that's normal," he chuckled. "I'm scared to death, 'cause I'm standin' here in the middle of Central Park tryin' to ask my girlfriend to marry me, and I ain't sure if she's gonna say yes or if she's gonna tell me I'm crazy and run away." Carol laughed at that then, and she reached a hand up to brush the tears from her eyes.

"I'm gonna say yes, and my mother's going to kill me." Daryl smirked then, and he leaned in to kiss her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he curled his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him, bringing her feet up off the ground. She laughed when he held her waist, lifting her and breaking the kiss, making her feel like some sort of fairytale princess for the briefest of moments, before her feet were firmly back on the ground.

"Oh my God, everybody's staring."

"Let 'em stare." He kissed her again, and he took her hand in his.

"So…we're getting married?" she whispered. "Are we crazy?"

"Yeah. Certifiable, I think," he laughed. "You ok with that?"

"Oh yeah," she whispered. "I'm ok with that."

...

 _"34-year-old Carol Mason and beau Daryl Dixon were lost in conversation—and one another—in Central Park last night. The loved-up couple, presumably in town for a popular convention, engaged in several intimate kisses after a romantic carriage ride. Things are heating up fast for the_ Apocalypse, California _star and her handsome boyfriend. We spoke exclusively to the carriage driver, who remained tight-lipped about the pair's intimate date, but we were able to learn a few juicy details._

 _'Oh, they're just crazy about each other. He's very protective of her, and she's very down to earth. They're very sweet but very private. He asked for a few minutes alone with her at the fountain. Whatever he said to her, she was beaming when they came back to finish their ride.'"_

Carol woke in the morning, feeling the warmth of his arms wrapped around her. She smiled, rubbing her hand up his bicep as he snuggled against the back of her neck.

"Time is it?" she asked, yawning and stretching in his arms.

"We still got some time," he promised. "You ain't gotta be there for another couple hours."

"Crap," she groaned, burying her face in the pillow. "That means Glenn will be calling soon. He always likes to go out for lunch before these things start. If we don't eat before the convention, we won't eat at all." She frowned, but that quickly turned into a smile when she felt his warm mouth on the back of her neck. "Can I just stay in bed all day so you can keep doing that thing with your mouth?"

His chest shook against her back when he laughed, and she turned in his arms, draping one leg over his hip. Her hands rested on his chest, and she sighed, pouting her lips before he leaned in to kiss them.

"Don't worry. I'll be there the whole time. Ya won't miss me."

"I'll miss you, anyway," she whispered. "Oh God. We're _that_ couple, aren't we? I'm kind of grossed out by us."

"Nah, we ain't gross. But we are gonna have a hell of a lot of explainin' to do." He kissed her forehead, and she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling her face against his cheek.

"You're right," she sighed. "We are." When Daryl began to kiss her neck, she laughed and squirmed out of his embrace, hurrying off the bed.

"Where you goin'?"

"I need a shower. I'm achy in all the best ways, but I also stink and don't want to gross out the people paying good money to get their pictures taken with me today."

"Enough said," Daryl replied with a grin. He reached for his phone on the bedside table, opening it up as Carol started across the suite, gathering up her toiletry bag and the outfit she'd picked out to wear to the convention. A royal purple top with three-quarter length sleeves with a neck that dipped low enough that she could showcase the beautiful necklace that Daryl had gotten her. She matched it with a pair of dark skinny jeans and some black boots that went well with just about everything.

"Hey, that didn't take long," Daryl muttered.

"Oh God, already?" Carol asked, turning on the hot water in the shower before peeking out of the bathroom to eye Daryl across the room.

"They got us at Central Park last night. Oh, and a quote from our trusty driver."

"Oh, nice." Carol shrugged. That wasn't surprising. She was certainly not a stranger to people talking to the press after an encounter with her, so she decided to just chalk it up to one of those things that could have been worse. "Ok, come on." She started back across the room, taking Daryl's phone from him. She tossed it onto the bed and took his hand.

"Where we goin'?"

"We _both_ need a shower, and I'm feeling frisky."

"Christ, I love you," he groaned, pulling his arms around her from behind as they walked together toward the bathroom. She laughed as his hands settled on her hips. His lips were on the side of her neck in moments, and when they stepped into the shower, Carol's hands were immediately pushing against his chest, flattening his back against the wall. He groaned the moment her fingers tangled in his hair. "A guy could get used to wakeup calls like this, ya know?"

"Mmm," she giggled, before she kissed his neck and began to press kisses down his chest. He leaned his head back, opening his mouth as the hot water streamed down over them both. The second she was on her knees and teasing the head of his cock with her tongue, he grabbed the safety bar and held on for dear life.

She took her time with him, teasing him, taking him in as far as she could before sliding back up, releasing him with a definitive popping of her lips. He moved his hips in rhythm with her head as she worked him over, keeping a hand gripped at the base of his cock.

"Fuck," he panted, balls tightening as that familiar fire flooded his belly. "I ain't gonna last." She smiled around his shaft then, releasing him before pressing a kiss to his stomach.

"We can't have that, can we?" she whispered, standing and pressing her lips against his. "I want you inside me when you come."

"Aw, hell," he panted, lifting one of her legs up to drape it over his hip. She hooked herself around him, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck. He lifted her just enough to raise her over his shaft, and when she sunk down on him, his eyes rolled up, and his head fell back against the shower. He turned then, pressing her back firmly against the tile wall, and he began to thrust up into her, feeling her molten walls fluttering around his shaft. He held her tight, gripping her hips as he slammed home. He pushed into her, reaching between them to stroke her clit with his fingertips. In no time, she was moaning his name, and the second he felt her flood around him, he let go, choking out a groan against her neck.

When her feet were firmly on the shower floor again, she held onto his shoulders and wobbled slightly.

"You ok?" he asked. She laughed and nodded.

"Just a little weak in the knees." She winked at him. "I think we need a shower like this at home, don't you agree?"

"It ain't bad," he offered, kissing her forehead. She reached behind him and grabbed for the soap.

"Water's running cool. We better do this fast. You wash my back, I'll wash yours?"

"Mmm," he grunted, before curling his fingers around her wrist. He leaned down to press his lips to hers. When he pulled back, he saw the grin pull across her face. He linked his fingers with hers, running his thumb over her knuckles. "You gonna wear it, today?"

"Are you kidding? I have to call my mother first," she laughed. "I'll never hear the end of it if they know before she does. We're just lucky it's not all over the news already." Daryl chuckled at that. He brought her hand up and kissed the center of her palm and then her wrist. She bit her lip, smiling as his eyes locked on hers. "Ok, I'll call her after our shower, and tomorrow I'll put it on. I just want to keep something to ourselves for a minute, until the wolves descend. Deal?" He grinned then, and she laughed as the flush in her cheeks brightened. "That's how this thing works, right? Compromise?"

"Hmm," he grunted, running his hand down her back and over her ass, giving it a little squeeze. "It's a deal, wife."

The grin brightened her face, and she melted into his embrace, letting herself get lost in him for just a little while. And it was the best feeling in the world.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Convention

 _"You did_ what _?"_

 _"Mom, I got married last night."_

 _"And….you were planning on telling me you were engaged, when?"_

 _"I wasn't. I mean, I guess we just sort of decided. It just happened."_

 _"Just happened. So you run off to New York with your new boyfriend and get married before you even bring him home to meet your mother and father?"_

 _"Mom, calm down. Don't be mad."_

 _"Honey, I'm not mad. I'm just…concerned. After everything that's happened with Ed and with…with... I mean, your exes are…"_

 _"Assholes," Carol pointed out. "And Daryl is nothing like either one of them." A beat. "Mom, for the first time in my life, I did something without thinking it to death. I love him. He's good to me. And I'm very happy. Please, just don't freak out. You and daddy are gonna love him. You'll see."_

...

Carol's palms were sweating, and every time Daryl would give her hand a squeeze, she would feel the tide of anxiety recede just a little bit.

"I ain't never seen you like this before," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"I'm not so good with conventions. I mean, when I'm on the panel, it's fine, but when I have people coming over to me and hugging me and…well, I just get nervous. They mean well, but it's a little overwhelming."

"I'll be there. Lurkin' in the background."

"Oh, there'll be no lurking. My fans are smart. I'm sure the phones are all charged and ready to snap a picture of you at the first possible opportunity."

"Are you sure you ain't havin' second thoughts?"

"You mean about last night?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him. He gave her a little nod, and she smiled.

"I could have thought about it. We could have planned something big. But when it came down to it, in that moment, it's what I wanted. It was just you and me, and it was perfect." She leaned over to kiss him. "And I don't regret it for a second." She bit her lip when his hand caressed the back of her neck. "Today, I just want to get through this craziness. Tomorrow, I want you to put that ring on my finger, and I never want to take it off." Daryl grinned at her then, and they kissed softly, hands entwining, breaths mingling as the cab took a turn into the parking garage where the convention guests were given privacy to enter and exit the center without a horde of people following them.

"This is it?" Daryl asked, as the car rolled to a stop next to a set of elevators.

"You sure you're ready for this?"

"Gotta be," Daryl chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry, you'll have an all access pass. You can use the back rooms if you need an escape."

"You got back rooms?"

"You have no idea how overwhelming things like this can get. Sometimes we just need to escape for five minutes to breathe. You'll see what I mean." She gave him one last quick kiss before they slid out of the back of the car and headed into the convention center.

"Carol! Hey!" Glenn was the first to spot her, and he came rushing over with two bottles of water in his hand. He handed one to her, and Carol waved to Tara who was standing nearby with her girlfriend.

"How's the crowd look?" Carol asked, gratefully accepting the water and taking a sip before passing it to Daryl. "Trust me, you're gonna want to stay hydrated in this place." Daryl took a cold drink of water before passing it back to her.

"Not bad out there yet. They're already lining up for autographs, and your line is the longest. Tara's got a pretty damned long line herself. The ladies are killing it today." Carol blushed, and Daryl gave her hand a squeeze. "Oh, you better be careful out there, dude." Glenn leveled a gaze at Daryl.

"Me? Why?"

"I caught sight of more than a couple girls out there with 'we heart Daryl' pins."

"That's a thing?" Daryl asked with a grimace.

"You're dating the star of the show," Glenn said with a shrug. "These fans get really into the actors' lives, if you haven't noticed already."

"You gonna be ok?" Carol asked softly.

"M'fine, but that's just weird."

"It's a little weird," Carol chuckled. "Most of them are harmless. They mean well. But some of them can get a little…"

"Delusional?" Glenn asked.

"Oh, that's not nice," Carol scolded.

"Well, it's true. You should read some of the fan theories about the show. Some of them can't accept when a character dies. I mean, c'mon, it's a show about surviving in a new world where people make their own rules. Not everybody's gonna survive this."

"Ok, Glenn, we've heard it _all_ before," Tara said dramatically, linking her arm through her co-star's. "You ready to go meet your groupies?"

"I don't have groupies," Glenn whined. "And please don't say that." Tara fake pouted before rolling her eyes.

"C'mon," Tara insisted, tugging at his arm. "I've got boobs to sign and babies to hold."

...

Carol was not exaggerating in the slightest. The second he was out on the floor, he was keenly aware that people were watching him, were taking his picture, were whispering about whether or not he'd come with Carol or was just there on his own accord. Naturally, the second they saw him, they were craning around, looking for any sight of her.

Two minutes into stepping out from the back, a group of young women approached them wearing Olivia O'Connor t-shirts and clasping toy props from the show.

"Oh my God, you're Daryl, aren't you?"

"Uh…"

"I can't believe it's really, _you!_ What's she really like? Carol? Is she as amazing in real life as she is on the show?" It was then that Daryl noticed a rubber bracelet on the girl's arm that said Livvie Lover. She must have been part of a fan club. His first instinct was to turn and walk away, but he didn't want to offend Carol's fans. So he just cleared his throat and nodded his head.

"She's uh, yeah, she's a great girl. She's awesome."

"Oh my God," the one girl squealed. "Are you going to be on the show, too? Oh my God, but no, Olivia's supposed to be with Jake." Daryl restrained himself from stepping back and running.

"Uh, no. I ain't an actor. Just a mechanic."

"Are the rumors true? Is she pregnant? Will they have to write it into the show next season?"

"'Scuse me, ladies," he finally bit out. "I gotta…" _Make something up. Anything._ Thankfully, one of the other girls spoke up before he could think of excuses.

"Can we get a selfie with you? A group picture for the website?"

"Uh, I guess. Sure." He stepped into the center of the huddle, and the girls all touched his arms and shoulders as somebody held their arm out and snapped a picture. Then he quickly excused himself and escaped into the nearest bathroom. She was not kidding at all. This place was nuts.

"Don't worry. It's just one day. Lucky this isn't one of those weekend-long affairs." Daryl turned to see a man drying his hands with a wad of paper towels. He was older, probably in his late 40s and balding on top. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a blue and white plaid button-down shirt. "You're Daryl, right?"

"Uh…I know you?"

"No, not at all. You're the new guy."

"'Scuse me?" Daryl narrowed his eyes at the man.

"I'm Tobin." Daryl shrugged a little. "Oh, I take it she didn't tell you about me? I'm, uh, her ex."

"You mean, one of the assholes that took advantage of her and used her for fame?"

"Actually, I'm an actor. We dated maybe ten years ago. I actually asked her to marry me, but…it…well, it didn't work out. I was the idiot that let her go, but she didn't love me. Not really. I get that now." Daryl narrowed his eyes at the man. "I saw her in the back. She looks beautiful. Happy."

"She is," Daryl replied quietly, not certain if he should hate the man or shake his hand for being Carol's past and not her present.

"Congratulations, by the way."

"What?"

"She told me you two got married last night. I'm happy for you guys, really. Been married six years, myself. Got two little girls. It's a great thing, man. Good luck to the both of ya." Tobin gave him a pat on the arm before walking out of the bathroom. Daryl turned to look at the door, wondering what the hell just happened, before his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. With a frown, he took it out and saw a text from Carol.

 _Where are you? I've got an hour 'til the autographs start. You wanna fool around in the dressing room?_

Daryl smirked at the message and then looked back up toward the bathroom door where Tobin had just walked out from, wondering why Carol had bothered to tell an ex of hers about her marriage when she hadn't even wanted to wear her wedding ring to the convention. He couldn't wrap his head around it. And why hadn't he heard of Tobin before? He'd heard about Ed. About a couple of the other assholes that had used her. But Tobin? He was the nice guy ex that she almost married, and she was still chummy enough with him that she could tell him about her secret marriage to her new guy.

He looked back down at the phone and chewed his lip, trying to decide if he was ready to face her with all of these questions or if he should give himself a minute to process before he said something incredibly stupid that he might end up regretting.

 _Rain check? Forgot something at the hotel. Be back in a couple hours._

A few moments later, his phone buzzed again.

 _You ok_?

He hesitated before he finally tapped out another message.

 _Yeah. Be back in a bit. Love you._

And then he pushed out of the bathroom and left the convention center, heading out and down the street.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Just a Mechanic

The further he walked, the more he felt like such an asshole. He honestly wasn't angry with her for keeping a part of her past from him. It wasn't like they'd known each other that long. They'd both been on board with getting married last night, but in the harsh light of day, they really didn't know much about one another. They knew enough to know that they craved one another, that they loved one another, that neither one of them had had relationships worth keeping in the past. They knew enough about each other's families, but that was pretty much it.

All he could think about was how Carol had told him about her first foray into the spotlight, how she'd waitressed and acted in plays and commercials until she got her big break. He wasn't fool enough to think she'd been alone all that time. Of course there had been men. Of course there had been relationships. She'd been hurt along the way, burned enough to shy away from trusting other people. And then it had all changed when they'd met, and frankly, he still couldn't fully comprehend how he'd gotten so lucky as to have been given a chance to love her and to be loved by her.

So maybe that was why meeting Tobin had set his nerves on edge, made his stomach twist into the kind of knots that pulled and coiled and frayed.

"Look! There he is!" Daryl turned as he was crossing the street to see a couple of the girls that had pulled him aside for a picture.

 _"Fuck_ ," he muttered under his breath.

"Hi, Daryl," one of them said with a bubbly giggle. They caught up to him on the other side of the street, and Daryl looked around, wishing for a manhole to swallow him up.

"Hey," he muttered half-heartedly.

"Um, is there any chance that…that you could get us a meet and greet with Carol?"

"What're you talkin' about?"

"Well, the photo ops were all sold out, and the line was just so long for autographs."

"Look, m'sorry, but I ain't got nothin' to do with the convention. And I ain't her agent. I'm her h…I ain't that." He cleared his throat and stuffed his hands into his pockets. The girls grew quiet for a moment, before one of them piped up again.

"You know, you should be grateful. I mean, you're just a mechanic. It's not like you have anything to offer. You don't have to be such a jerk." With that, the girls flounced off, and Daryl turned to watch them walk away.

...

Carol peeked out from behind the curtain after the autograph session was over. No sign of Daryl. She checked her phone, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip before she slipped into one of the back rooms for a little quiet time before the photo ops started.

No word from Daryl.

Her stomach was twisting into knots, and she tried texting him again.

 _You back yet? I have some free time._

She waited a few minutes with no response. A tap at the door startled her, and she looked up just as Glenn came walking in with a concerned look on his face.

"Hey," he said quietly. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said slowly. "Hey, have you seen Daryl?"

"You mean here or online?"

"What?"

"This is all over social media," Glenn pointed out, handing her his phone. A photo of Daryl with a couple of her fans flashed over the screen, and Carol furrowed her brows. The caption was: "OMG, just met Carol Mason's gorgeous boyfriend. Jealous?! He's _such_ a sweetie."

"Ok," Carol said slowly.

"And this." He scrolled to the next picture, which was one of Daryl out walking the New York streets. One of those fans was walking beside him. The caption was: _Apocalypse groupie? Carol Masons' hunky beau, Daryl Dixon, is seen getting chummy with one of the TV star's fans. Could this mean the end of Carol and Daryl?_

"Oh, please," Carol snorted. "Probably just an overzealous fan that followed him back." She glanced back down at her phone when it buzzed. With a sigh of relief, she checked the message.

 _Yeah, just got back. Sorry. Got caught up. Your fans are crazy._

"Ha!" Carol chuckled. "You worry too much." Glenn raised an eyebrow, and Carol sighed. "You're still freaking out because I told you I got married last night."

"Well, it's not…it's not _you_ , Carol."

"Maybe it is," she said softly. "I love him. He makes me happy, Glenn. You have that with Maggie. You just knew, didn't you? After how long?"

"The first date," he admitted. "But it's _so_ fast. I mean, what do you really know about him anyway?" Carol stared at him for a minute. "I'm not saying this to upset you. I'm sorry, Carol. I'm just worried about you. But, he seems like a good guy."

"He is a good guy," she said quietly. "He loves me. I know enough about him to know that he's a good man. He's the _right_ man." She ran her fingers through her hair then, cringing as a woman over the overhead speaker announced the photo ops starting soon. "Are we done here?"

"Don't be mad," Glenn said softly.

"I'm not," she said with a gentle smile. "You're just looking out for me, and that's sweet. Thank you. But it's really not necessary."

"Even so, that offer to kick his ass still stands."

"That won't be necessary," she chuckled. "But thanks all the same." Glenn nodded and gave her shoulder a squeeze before he turned to leave. "Oh, and Glenn?"

"Yeah?"

"If you see my husband out there, would you send him in here, please?"

"Sure thing," Glenn said with a little smile and a nod of his head. Then he was gone, and Carol pulled her phone out to pull up the social media app. She'd created an account the night before and sent her first message to her fans. She was surprised when she logged in that she'd acquired over a thousand followers and had at hundreds of messages from people asking her to follow back or to give a shout out. To say it was overwhelming would have been an understatement.

And that was when she saw it. The link at the top of the messages was an article titled "Crossing that Mason-Dixon Line. _Apocalypse, California_ Star Marries Mechanic After Whirlwind Romance."

With a heavy sigh, curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the link.

 _Carol Mason, 34, is in New York City for more than just a convention. Accompanied by her partner, Daryl, Mason cuts a slim figure in a pair of yoga pants and a long, colorful blouse. Wearing a delicate sapphire necklace, the assuming eye would never have a second thought about the beauty's marital status, as no ring was apparent on her slender finger. However, a very good source confirms that the pair were married in a secret ceremony less than 24 hours ago. The source? Her own husband, Daryl Dixon._

A knock at the door startled her, and she looked up to see Daryl stepping in with a brown paper bag in one hand.

"What's this?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Lunch. The shit they got here ain't that great. You hungry?"

"Starving," she said quietly, reaching for the bag and opening it to find a couple of extremely delicious-looking hot dogs with all the fixings. But she didn't move to take anything from the bag. She put it aside and stood to face him. He swallowed hard, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Where'd you go?"

"Just went for a walk."

"What'd you forget at the hotel?" Her tone wasn't accusing, but the back of his neck burned all the same. He ran his hand over it and shifted uncomfortably.

"Nothin'. Didn't go back to the hotel," he confessed. "Look, I just…" She stepped closer to him. "Why didn't ya tell me you was engaged before?" Carol furrowed her brows at him.

"What?"

"I mean, I get it. It's your past and everything, but ya didn't wanna wear your ring today, 'cause ya didn't want the panel questions to be all about us gettin' married. But ya told him about us like it was no big deal." Carol sighed then, trying to wrap her mind around everything Daryl was throwing at her.

"Daryl, what's this about?" Carol asked, narrowing her eyes. "Did you talk to someone…did you…I mean, if you wanted to make an announcement, we could have done that this morning."

"What?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.

"Who'd you talk to? I'm not mad. I'm just confused."

"Didn't talk to nobody."

"You didn't…tell anybody about us getting married?"

"Think you're gettin' me confused with you," he pointed out. "You're the one tellin' people."

"I told…Glenn. And he wouldn't say anything."

"Yeah, alright," Daryl scoffed, moving to flop down on the couch. Carol turned and moved to sit next to him.

"What's your problem?" she asked. "You've been weird since I texted you earlier." She handed her phone to him. "And now this."

"What's this?"

"Apparently, they have it from a very good source that we're married. Their source is you, and normally I wouldn't believe this shit, but you're acting very strange right now."

"You think this is from me?" he asked, gaping at her. "I ain't said shit to nobody."

"Well, I'm sure Glenn didn't say anything."

"So you're gonna trust him, but you ain't gonna trust me?"

"I didn't say that!" Carol snapped. She brought her hands to her face and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't want to fight." Daryl shifted to turn toward her on the couch.

"Look, I love you. I'm crazy 'bout you. And you ain't gotta keep nothin' from me. That's why it don't make no sense."

"What are you talking about? None of this makes any sense," she muttered.

"I met Tobin." She flinched.

"You…you what?"

"I met Tobin. He was in the bathroom down the hall. He congratulated me, said you told him all 'bout us gettin' married." Carol pursed her lips together, furrowing her brows in frustration. She took her phone back into her hand and scrolled up the article to the author.

"Oh, god damn it. Tobin Mayfield."

"Who the fuck's Tobin Mayfield? Oh, yeah, he's the guy you almost married."

"What?!" Carol stood then, tossing her phone onto the couch. "You think I…oh my God." She covered her face with her hands then before her shoulders shook from laughter.

"I don't think it's very fuckin' funny," Daryl growled, standing up. "You told me you didn't wanna tell many folks 'til after this weekend, but you were alright with goin' on to your ex that I didn't know nothin' about." Carol bit her lip, tears glittering in her eyes, and she forced back another laugh.

"Aw, hell. I don't need this shit. I'm goin' back to the hotel."

"Daryl, stop!" she insisted, as he started for the door. She rushed around him and stood between him and the door. "Please. Don't go."

"Who the hell's this Tobin guy? Look, I know we ain't known each other for very long, and I know I'm just a mechanic, but…"

"What the hell does that have to do with the price of tea in China? I've known you were _just_ a mechanic since the day we met. I fell in love with _just_ a mechanic. I _married just_ a mechanic." Her eyes bore into his. "This never mattered before. Why now?" Daryl swallowed hard and looked down. "Hey. No. Don't do that. You look at me. What's going on with you?" He met her gaze again, and he ran a hand over his face, pushing the hair from his eyes.

"Why didn't ya tell me you almost got married before."

"Because it's not true," she replied, hands on her hips as she cocked her head to the side. Since when do you start believing everything somebody you meet in a bathroom says? Do I know Tobin? Yeah. I do. Did we date? Yeah, we went out ages ago. He was a customer when I was waiting tables. I was new in town, maybe twenty-four. He was thirty-five, and he was nice to me, and he said he was an actor. He helped me get a couple of auditions. We dated for maybe six months." She watched Daryl's shoulders relax a little, and she reached out for his hand. He looked down at their entwined fingers before he met her gaze again. "He was a little more serious about me than I was about him. By the time he started talking about marriage and babies, I was starting to freak out. My career was taking off, and he couldn't get a good gig. He was a little jealous, and I think he proposed to me to try and anchor me a little. He wasn't abusive. He wasn't mean. He was just…Tobin." She shook her head. "I'm so stupid."

"What?"

"I knew, about a year after I broke up with him, that he was using what experience he had in the industry to write trash pieces for the tabloids. He's made it pretty big in that world. I should've known he'd be here. Daryl, I'm sorry. He must have overheard me talking to Glenn, used the angle to get to you. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you apologizin'? I'm the asshole here." He sighed heavily and shook his head. "M'sorry. I shoulda talked to you first."

"Yeah, you should have. But what else are you supposed to think? I mean, yeah, I dated Tobin. He did ask me to marry him. But I turned him down, and I moved on with my life, because I knew that I didn't love him. It was the best decision I ever made, because I have _you_. I love you."

"Love you, too," he murmured. "I still feel like an asshole."

"Well," she said thoughtfully, moving toward the door and sliding the lock into places, "you can make it up to me."

"I can?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of a few ways." She grinned then, when she saw the blush fill his cheeks. "My offer to fool around still stands, you know."

"Ain't you got stuff to do?"

"I have a little free time," she offered, turning to wrap her arms around his neck. "Whaddya say? Wanna screw around?"

"Actually, I wanna find that asshole and punch him in the mouth," he replied with a snort, as Carol's hands moved over his broad shoulders. "But I could always do that later."

"Mmm," she said with a little smile. "Later." And then she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. And for a little while, all of the chaos melted away, and it was just them together, and that was all that mattered.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Q&A

Carol took a sip of her bottled water and wiped at her damp forehead. The auditorium lights were almost blinding and made the stage uncomfortably warm. The thirst burned at her throat, and she could see her co-stars were starting to get uncomfortable, too.

She noticed an unmistakable rush through the question/answer process, as she was last on the panel. Glenn sat next to her and would give her an encouraging smile once in a while. She knew it was coming. The story was already out there, and the rumors were flying wild. She knew _exactly_ what was coming, and the questions wouldn't have anything to do with the show.

Daryl sat in the sixth row from the back and the third seat from the aisle, and Carol would focus on him when her nerves would get the best of her. And she was grateful he was there, yet every time she looked at him, a barrage of question filled her mind. _Do I move in with him or does he move in with me? Do we find a new place and start over? How will his business be affected? Will we have to hire security guards? Would he be ok with that?_

Before she knew it, Glenn was speaking about his time on the show and answering a few mildly personal questions, drawing a line at questions about possible impending fatherhood and directing the questions back toward his character on the show. And as he spoke, Carol felt a knot coiling tighter in her stomach.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down at it on the table to find a text from Daryl.

 _You got this. You're doing great up there, but if you wanna leave, we can walk out right now._

She caught his gaze from the crowd and gave him a little smile before she tapped out a quick response.

 _This is going to be brutal, but it's almost over._

When a boisterous round of applause had her searching for the host standing in the middle of the auditorium, she smiled weakly and put her phone down.

"Carol, it's been quite a whirlwind year for you, hasn't it?"

"For me or for Olivia?" she asked with a grin, getting a laugh from the audience. She wiped her sweaty palms on her knees.

"Carol, Olivia has quickly become one of the most popular characters on this show. Did you have any idea at the beginning that Olivia would be so loved so quickly by the fan base?"

"Um, not really," she chuckled. "But I loved her. She's not perfect. None of them are. Each character is flawed in their own way, which I think makes the chemistry between them work so well. And I think one of the reasons the characters mesh so well is because the cast is—well, the cast is just amazing, each and every one of them—but we just all get along. We truly enjoy working with each other, and I think—I like to think—that bleeds into the film."

"Oh, it does," the host agreed, as several audience members applauded.

"We'll be showing the season 4 trailer here in a few minutes. Is there anything you can tell us about your character in particular this season? What can we look forward to from her?"

"Oh, gee," Carol thought for a moment, sucking her bottom lip under her teeth as she pondered her choices. "Well, we'll certainly see her dealing with some of the tough decisions. We know last season she struggled with losing her baby. We know she was terrified to bring a life into the world, but when she _did_ lose the baby, it sort of sent her on a downward spiral. We saw a glimmer of hope for her in the finale last season, but I think we can definitely expect to see some more exploration of Olivia's feelings toward the miscarriage." She smiled a little. "And we know Jake's been very supportive of Olivia."

"We know Jake's absolutely in love with Olivia, even if he won't admit it to himself or to her or to anyone. He's sort of the whimper in the corner in silence type, isn't he?"

"Oh, but he's so sweet. I adore him, really," she chuckled.

"So you're a Jolivia shipper?"

"Oh, come on. Come on," she laughed, as Glenn teasingly shot her a hurt puppy look and the audience went crazy. "I love David, too. I don't want to choose sides. I don't. I will say that Olivia cares for _all_ of the survivors very much. I _think_ she's going to be in a place where she can open up and maybe even move closer to a romantic relationship. We'll just have to see." The audience applauded at her dignified answer, and then the host cleared his throat. _Oh hell._

"So, any chance they'll have to work around anything this season? You know, like a baby bump?" Carol's face turned bright red.

"Oh, come on. No. No," she blushed. "No, don't believe everything you read." She caught Daryl's smirk, and he gave her a nod of encouragement. "Look, the tabloids are working overtime these days, apparently. Just don't believe everything you read." A few murmurs rose up from the crowd, and Carol shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"So it's safe to say you _aren't_ married then?" the host asked with a grin, as Carol felt her heart began to hammer under her ribcage. And in that moment, she couldn't help the grin that spread over her face. She met Daryl's gaze, and he couldn't help but smile back, and the crowd went crazy. "Wait! What does that mean? Oh, somebody has a secret."

"It's…it's no secret. We just hadn't gotten around to telling many people yet," Carol replied coyly, and the audience responded with a cacophony of applause, whoops and hollers. She grinned and blushed brightly as the rest the cast—aside from Glenn—gaped at her in shock and awe. When the room finally settled, she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes, yes, yes. Ok?" she laughed, as the host turned to Daryl in the audience.

"You're Daryl, right? Yeah, I recognize you from the paparazzi pictures." The room erupted in laughter, and Carol smiled sheepishly at her husband. "Daryl, how does it feel to be married to one of the biggest stars on television?"

"It's…uh…well, none of that really matters to me," he offered. "But bein' married to Carol's pretty great so far."

"Well, I have to admit that it was a shock. Talk about a whirlwind romance."

"When ya know, ya know," Daryl replied with a shrug, glancing up at his wife. She bit her bottom lip and nodded as everybody clapped and swooned over Daryl's comments.

Thankfully, after the excitement wore off, the conversation went back to the show and the characters, and within a half hour, Carol was thankful to be back in the little sitting room where the air conditioner was on full blast. Within thirty seconds of arriving, Daryl followed her in, and he flopped down next to her on the couch.

"That wasn't so bad," he offered. "You did good."

"Oh God, I think my underwear is soaked." At Daryl's glance, she rolled her eyes. "With sweat. I think you'll have to peel my clothes off of me when we get back to the hotel."

"I can do that," he agreed with a grin, pulling her into a kiss. She sighed against his mouth, winding her arms around his neck.

"I wanna have a little Q&A myself," she said sweetly as he pulled her into his lap. She straddled his hips with her knees, and she kissed the tip of his nose.

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, we seemed to have done a few things backward. And I like backward," she grinned. "But maybe, to try and save ourselves some time and arguing later, we should put our cards all out on the table."

"Alright," Daryl said slowly. "Whaddya wanna know?"

"Well, I ask you a question, you answer, I give you my own answer, and then it's your turn."

"Alright. Shoot."

"How many?"

"How many what?"

"How many women have you been with?" she chuckled, curling her fingers into his shirt.

"Shit," he groaned. "Start with the easy ones, why don't ya?"

"Come on. Don't be shy." She kissed him again, and he moaned against her lips.

"Five," he muttered. "And that's includin' you. You're number five. You're the last."

"So that thing with your tongue…you just picked it up over time?" She saw the blush fill his face, and she grinned down at him. "Hey, I'm not mad. I'm grateful. I reap the benefits of all that practice."

"Stop," she snorted, as she let out a little giggle. "Alright, you go."

"Six, though I'm not really counting the first one, because it was over before it started." Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Prom night. It's about as cliché as you can get." Daryl winced at that, and Carol grinned. "Ok, now you can ask me anything you want."

"Hmmm…alright. How many times you been in love?"

"That's tough," Carol whispered softly. "Four. Serious love and not puppy love? Twice. Including you." Daryl grinned up at her. "The first time was in college, and I swore I was gonna marry the guy. Well, that didn't work out, because he cheated on me with my roommate."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm happy right where I am." She cocked her head to the side, as Daryl's hands moved up and down her waist.

"Me? Hell, love ain't never really been a factor. I mean, I cared 'bout some of 'em, but love? Nah. I never felt nothin' like I felt with you. And that's the honest truth. You came along, and I swear it was like I got hit by a truck." At her raised eyebrows, he smirked. "In a good way, I promise. Best damned thing that ever happened to me is you."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Migraine

"Whaddya mean how old?" Daryl groaned, flopping back onto the mattress at the hotel. His wet hair was messy and plastered to his forehead until he pushed it out of his face. He lay there in nothing but a fluffy, white towel, as Carol slinked across the room wearing nothing but the smile on her face.

"How old were you when you lost your virginity?" she asked, climbing onto the bed and moving to straddle his waist. Their little Q&A session had been on pause since they left the convention center, and when they'd gotten home, they'd gotten a long shower, and now that they were both thoroughly exhausted, it was time to get back to it. The Q&A, that was.

"You really wanna know that?" he asked with a smirk, sliding his hands up her calves and then over her hips before resting them at her hips.

"C'mon, I wanna know."

"I told ya all about my family, told ya all about my childhood. You told me all about yours. Now you wanna know how old I was when I lost my virginity?"

"Yeah. C'mon."

"Well, what about you?"

"I already told you."

"Ya did?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "Prom night? I was eighteen, thank you very much." She squealed when he pulled his arms around her and flipped her onto his back, hips resting against hers. The towel did little to mask the budding erection he was sporting. "Now you."

"Hell," he muttered. "Don't remember."

"You don't remember your first time? Come on. Mine was awkward and embarrassing. I'll never forget it for as long as I live."

"'Course I remember," he grumbled. "Awkward and embarrassin'. How was it you put it? Over before it started. I didn't so much as get it in, and I was done." Carol grinned then, and he glared at her playfully. "Hey. I was nineteen. I didn't know what the fuck I was doin'."

"Nineteen?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. "So you _do_ remember."

"Yeah. Hell," he grunted. "She never answered my calls after that, neither."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Pookie." She kissed the tip of his nose, and he chuckled before pressing soft kisses to her neck and collarbones. She sighed, running her fingers through his hair.

"What're we gonna do?" he murmured, lifting his head to stare down at her. "When we get back, I mean. I got my shit at my place, you got your place."

"We should find a place for us," she said softly. Daryl sighed then, and he sat up a little. Carol sat up too, moving to press herself up behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest and kissing the back of his neck. "Some place out of the city, some place in the country would be nice. We could have fences, we could have privacy. Lots of trees so people can't snoop."

"Ya don't want much, do ya?" he asked. She laughed then, and he brought his hand up to rest against hers over his heart. "Someplace close enough that I can still get to work every day and that you ain't gotta drive too long to get on set."

"Mmm. We can stay at my place until we figure something out. Or we can just stay in a hotel and make people wait on us hand and foot with room service." Daryl smirked then.

"Nah, I think I'd go crazy after a few days."

"We'll figure it out, won't we? As long as we're together, that's what matters."

"Still no regrets?" he asked.

"Nope," she whispered, kissing his ear and giving it a little nibble. "What about you?"

"Can't think'a any." She grinned then, and she crawled around to climb into his lap, wrapping herself around him and pulling him close for a soft kiss.

"Good. I think we can push pause until the morning. Whaddya say?" She leaned in again, kissing him slowly, gently curling her fingers into his damp hair.

"We were talkin'?" he murmured, getting a chuckle out of her as she pushed him back against the bed and crawled over him. "C'mere." He pulled her down over him, groaning as they sunk into one another and forgot the world for a little while.

...

"What's wrong with you?" Michonne asked, as Carol held her hands over her face and sank down on Michonne's couch.

"My head is killing me," she muttered. "I didn't sleep much last night."

"Ooh, lucky you. I see you're still in the honeymoon phase, you sneak." She elbowed her friend, and Carol groaned. "Sorry."

"No, I was up all night memorizing lines, and I swear they're trying to kill me this season. They're throwing all this heavy stuff at my character, and my head's just not in the game." Ever since they'd gotten back from New York, Carol had been working long hours at the studio and on location on some of the rural roads outside of L.A.

"It's because they know you can handle it. You're one of the best actors on the entire show. They know this. They're using it to their advantage. You _have_ heard the Emmy buzz going around, right? They're saying you're a shoe-in for a nomination."

"Oh, I don't care about that."

"Well, I do! Not many people can say their best friend won an Emmy award." Carol frowned then and leaned her head back against the pillow.

"I feel like hell. This headache's just getting worse."

"What do you think it is?" Michonne asked.

"Honestly?" Carol asked. "Stress. I've been doing a lot of physical scenes, and I've been staying up longer than usual to memorize lines. I can't seem to grasp it. I can't concentrate. My eyes will bother me, and I'll have to pull out my reading glasses. Maybe my eyes are going bad. God, that's just what I need." Michonne patted her friend's leg sympathetically.

"Anything else?"

"No," Carol said slowly. At Michonne's look, she sighed. "Ok, my mother. She's been getting on us about coming out to visit. But I've been busy with work, and Daryl's business has been picking up like crazy since we got married and the tabloids exploded. I mean, he's had to hire two guys to oversee things while he works in the back. Everybody seems to be trying to get at him. We've been married a month, and his life's been turned upside down."

"I think he knew that was part of the package," Michonne offered. "I mean, you've got some crazy fans who know who your friends are. They know friends of friends. Rick's been getting hell from his cop buddies, because they want to meet the famous Carol Mason." Michonne quirked an eyebrow. "And Daryl's still fixing cars at his garage."

"Because he _wants_ to work."

"But he's too available to people. I mean, the poor guy has groupies." Carol frowned at that. "Oh, tell me you've seen them."

"I've seen them," Carol muttered. "One girl threw her panties at him the other day. I mean, literally stripped her panties off and tossed them at him when he was walking out to his truck."

"Are you worried?"

"About Daryl? Yeah, I'm worried. I trust him. I know he would never do anything to hurt me. But I'm actually worried _for_ him." She chewed her bottom lip. "We found a place out in the country. It's nice. Private. But we can't move in for at least another month. We've been splitting time between my place and his, trying to make each space 'ours' until our home is ready. So you see why I'm stressed."

"Mom, work, crazy fan girls, house. Yeah, I'd say you've got a few reasons to be stressed."

"The worst part…mom said she's going to fly out here herself if we don't get out there soon. I love my mother, but this can't happen." Michonne chuckled and got up to leave the room for a moment. She returned with a couple of ibuprofen and a bottle of water.

"Here. Take this."

"I don't need it," Carol said with a weak pout.

"Take it or suck it up. You can't say I didn't try."

"Oh, hush." Carol took the pills and swallowed them down before chasing them with some cool water. "Thank you." She winced as the pain throbbed at her temples, and Michonne pulled her friend's feet into her lap, tucking a pillow under them for comfort. "Ooh, I get a foot rub?"

"I don't do feet," Michonne smirked. "But you just lay there, and I'm gonna sit here and tell you all about how my crazy boyfriend wants to get married."

"He what?"

"Oh, he thinks it's perfectly natural, you know, since you and Daryl lost your minds and got married in New York."

"Well, that was us. This is…you guys. And you don't even want to get married."

" _Thank you!_ At least _you_ know me well enough to know that. He actually got down on one knee, and I had to clamp my hand over his mouth and beg him not to ruin it." Carol snorted at that.

"You love him?"

"I love him," Michonne said with a sigh.

"That doesn't sound so happy," Carol pointed out.

"Oh, it's not that. It's just…well, Merle Dixon."

"What?!" Carol choked out. "Oh, please tell me you didn't."

"What? No! What kind of girl do you think I am? I don't cheat."

"I know you don't, but Merle can be…well, Merle."

"Well, I have more sense than that," Michonne laughed. "No, but the few times we've all gotten together since you guys got back from New York? Have you seen the way he stares at me? I mean, he's so obvious. He's made it perfectly clear what he'd do to me given half the chance. And Rick? Rick just stands there. He doesn't want to make a scene, because he's the good boy cop. But sometimes I kind of just wish he'd step in and tell the guy to knock it off. Defend my honor or something." Carol raised an eyebrow and shrugged her shoulders.

"He loves you. That's obvious. But he and Merle are...well, to say opposites would be a gross understatement."

"Well, I guess Rick and I need to have a talk. I think we both have a lot to learn about each other."

"Talk it out," Carol agreed with a nod. "Trust me, it worked for us. Daryl and I flew into marriage without even really knowing much about each other. It wasn't a mistake. We were lucky. But we've talked a lot since then. Just be…open with Rick. Tell him he can ask you anything, and just answer him honestly. If the truth is too much for either of you, maybe it isn't meant to be." Michonne eyed her for a moment before taking a big breath.

"Wow," she murmured. "I never thought of it that way before."

"Trust me. Oh, and a little wine never hurts the process either." She winked at her friend before resting her head back and closing her eyes.

"So, get him drunk and then play truth or dare?"

"Something like that," Carol laughed, before putting her hand to her forehead and grimacing. "Ok, I think we're in migraine territory now. Ow."

"Alright, that's it. I'm calling Daryl to come pick you up. I'm worried about you." She nudged Carol's feet off of her lap and got up to grab her cell phone. Carol watched her friend chew her lip for a moment before her face flashed with recognition of the voice on the other line. "Hey, it's Michonne. Yeah, hey, Carol's over here, and I'm pretty sure you need to get her to the doctor. She's got a migraine. Yeah, she's feeling pretty bad. Ok. I'll tell her. Thanks, Daryl." She hung up and gave her friend a smile.

"Your hubby's on the way."

"Don't call him that," Carol groaned. "I hate that."

"Oh, well, I don't care what you call each other. He better get your behind to the doctor today, or I'll be kicking _his_ behind all the way to the hospital."

"Well, if you insist, _Mom_."

"Oh, no. I'm _nobody's_ mother, thank you very much. And it better stay that way!" Michonne laughed, before she went to get Carol a cool cloth to put over her eyes.

...

 _Carol Mason-Dixon, 34, and husband Daryl were spotted together at a downtown medical center early this afternoon. Looking withdrawn and pale in a comfortable pair of yoga pants and an oversized tee, Carol leaned on her husband, as he walked with one arm protectively around her. Could Hollywood's hot new couple be preparing for some bad news? Or could this mean the speedy wedding in New York last month was for a very important reason? Only time will tell, but our instincts tell us we may be hearing the pitter patter of Mason-Dixon feet very soon!_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Home Sweet Home

 _34-year-old television star Carol Mason was spotted ready to jet out of Los Angeles late yesterday evening with new husband Daryl Dixon. Mason was dressed in a pair of jeans and a loose fitting blouse, adding fuel to the swirling rumors that baby Mason-Dixon is on the way. Will she have her mother's sparkling blue eyes?_

...

"Hi, baby!" Charlotte exclaimed, folding her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "Oh, you look good! Doesn't she look good, Joe?" A balding man with white hair and a tired smile came up and pulled his girl into his arms.

"Just as beautiful as the day she was born," Joe Mason chuckle, giving his daughter a squeeze, as Daryl loaded the luggage into the back of the Masons' car.

"Mama, Daddy, this is Daryl."

"Daryl Dixon," Charlotte chuckled, moving to pull Daryl in for a hug he'd been bracing himself for. Carol had warned him on the flight that her mother was a hugger, and she was not kidding. Charlotte enveloped him in a bear hug, and he hugged her back, catching a sheepish grin from Carol in the process. "Oh, I've read and _heard_ a lot about you."

"Good things, I hope, ma'am."

"Oh, listen to him. So polite," Charlotte giggled, touching both sides of Daryl's face. He half expected her to pinch his cheeks and give him kisses like his granny Louise used to do. "You've been taking good care of my girl, I take it?"

"He takes good care of me, Mom," Carol promised.

"She takes good care'a me, too," Daryl replied. "Don't know what I'd do without her."

"Now, Daryl," Joe said, stepping up in front of his daughter's husband. "Charlie and I were surprised when we got the news that you went and married our girl without meeting us, first."

"Daddy," Carol chided.

"Now, Carol Ann, you know we're not mad. Just surprised. It was so sudden and not something we would have thought you'd ever do. It was so fast."

"I know, Daddy," Carol said quietly, "but I remember _you_ telling me that you two got married after three dates." Carol crossed her arms across her chest, and Charlotte just laughed.

"She's right, Joe."

"I told her I'm not mad. I'm not mad, am I?" Joe asked, shrugging his shoulders and throwing his hands in the air. "Kids these days, going off and getting married like they're going to the office. No big deal. No muss, no fuss."

"Well, at least you didn't have to pay for the wedding, old man," Charlotte pointed out, giving her husband a squeeze on the hand. Joe paused for a moment.

"You know, I always liked you, Daryl," Joe said after a moment, getting a laugh out of the rest of the group. "I may not have met you, but I could tell by how Carol Ann talked about you that you two were a good match." Daryl smirked at that. "Now, I mean it. Don't get me wrong, my head's still spinning that my baby girl is a married woman, but I can see for myself that she's happy. And we can all get to know each other this weekend, can't we? After all, if you're gonna be the father of my grandbaby…"

"Daddy, stop! I'm not pregnant," Carol huffed. "You know better than to believe the tabloids."

"You're sure you're not pregnant?" Charlotte asked. "You look a little tired."

"Mama, I just got off a six hour flight _after a three hour_ layover. I'm exhausted. But I'm not pregnant."

"You went to the doctor?"

"I did," Carol promised, as she and Daryl slid into the backseat of the car and the elder Masons got into the front. "They were stress headaches I was having. Too much happening at once, I suppose. And work's been grueling since Olivia's become more popular. I guess that's the price I have to pay for giving the fans what they want, right?"

Daryl gave Carol's hand a squeeze, and she gave him a tired smile.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Mason. Mr. Mason. She's restin' plenty when she gets off work."

"Good to hear it," Joe spoke up. "How's the house coming along?"

"Almost ready," Carol piped up, a little more enthused now. "The contractors think we'll be able to move in by the end of next week."

"Place is real nice," Daryl offered. "Quiet. Ain't too big or too small. But we still gotta have gates and fences."

"I hate that you constantly have people trying to pry into your life," Charlotte said with a shake of her head. "I worry about you, honey."

"I'm alright," Carol promised, reaching up to put her hand on her mother's shoulder. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't in any hurry to move. At least out in the country we'll have more privacy. The fences are lined with tall shrubs, so somebody would have to use a pretty tall ladder to peek over. And if they want to risk breaking their necks to do that, then that's on them."

Carol felt Daryl sweep his thumb over her knuckles then, and she squeezed his hand.

"Your room is still just the way you left it," Charlotte chirped. "We still have all of your ribbons from 4-H."

"You were a 4-H kid?" Daryl asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I raised rabbits," Carol said proudly. "That was until I turned fifteen and discovered acting." She grinned at him." Then her face paled. "Mom, you don't still have all of those yearbook photos up, do you?"

"Of course," Charlotte said with a smile. "Honey, you were the pride of the drama department, you know."

"Oh God," Carol groaned, thinking back to the photo of her playing Juliet with her hands clasped at her chest and the wistful, angsty look on her face. God, she was embarrassed already.

"Oh, wait'll you see those baby pictures. We might be biased," Joe said with a chuckle, "but our Carol Ann was just the cutest little thing. She won a couple of contests."

"You were a pageant kid?" Daryl asked with a smirk.

"What? No! God, no. It was that silly department store thing. I think mom just literally walked in with me on the day they happened to be doing a 'cutest baby contest' and I got the grand prize." She rolled her eyes.

"Now, I saw that," Charlotte balked from the front seat, staring at her daughter in the rear view mirror. "You were a beautiful baby. And you grew into a beautiful young woman."

"Oh, Mom," Carol groaned, as Daryl squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"Oh, you'll see. One of these days, you'll be a mother, and you'll understand. Just wait."

"Why is everybody so focused on what is or isn't in my uterus?" Carol whispered, leaning over toward Daryl. "I mean, really." He just gave her a little smile and ran his thumb over her knuckles again, helping her relax for the rest of the ride.

...

"Shit, you weren't kiddin'," Daryl chuckled, as he heaved their luggage onto Carol's old bed. "This place is almost a shrine to ya."

"Well, I was a kid when I left home," she said with a shrug. "Mom put the pictures up, though. She was so proud."

"She's got reason to be," he pointed out, as Carol shut the door and toed her shoes off. The plan was to get rested and changed before supper. He nodded toward the bed. "Your mama put a new bed in here? This thing's gotta be a King size."

"Nope. All mine."

"But you're tiny. I mean, you're like this big." He held his thumb and forefinger apart, and Carol rolled her eyes.

"What can I say? I was an only child. I was a little spoiled." She chuckled a little, and Daryl watched as she turned to look at the pictures on the wall. "God, it feels like a lifetime ago." Daryl stepped up behind her, tucking his arms through hers, wrapping them around her waist. She smiled when he nuzzled the back of her neck.

"That you?" He pointed to a picture of an infant with wild, red hair and a big, bright smile. Carol laughed and nodded.

"Oh yeah, that's me. My hair's changed a little."

"God, you were a cute little shit," he snickered, as Carol laughed and rubbed her hands over his arms. "No wonder your mom wants ya to have a kid so bad." His hand ghosted over her ribs and her stomach, and she sighed. "You wanna make one?" Carol turned in his arms then, and his hands went to her hips.

"Yeah, I do," she said with a grin. "But on _our_ terms. I don't want our kid having to pay the price of my job." She shook her head. "Maybe when the show's over and people forget about me."

"You kiddin'? You ain't the kinda girl folks forget about," Daryl pointed out, as Carol sighed and ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. His thumbs rubbed gentle circles over her hipbones, and she leaned in to kiss him. She hummed softly against his lips.

"I love you, you know that?" she asked.

"Yeah, but it's nice to hear it anyway," he replied with a chuckle. "So we're waitin'?"

"Just a little while," she said with a nod. "I want this. I do. I just need the timing to be right." She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his chest.

"You tell me when, and we'll do it." Carol laughed against his chest. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah," she laughed. "I really do." And then they settled down to rest for a little while, simply enjoying the quiet as they lay in each other's arms.

...

 _Breaking News: Great news for Apocalypse, California fans. The hit show has been picked up for another three seasons, and there are talks of a spinoff revolving around one very popular female character. As far as the cast is concerned, our sources tell us that contract negotiations are set to begin when filming hiatus ends. Will your favorite be sticking around?_


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Phone Call

"How'd you do it?" Merle asked, as Daryl leaned back in the recliner in Carol's parents' living room. The Masons had gone to the store to pick up a few things for dinner, and Carol was upstairs on the phone having a long-distance conference with the producers of _Apocalypse, California_ over this surprising spinoff announcement and the contract negotiations. He knew she'd be busy for at least an hour, so he'd decided to relax and watch some TV. But when his cell phone had buzzed in his pocket and Merle's number had shown up, he knew that it must be important, because Merle didn't often call him unless he needed money, a place to stay or a ride, and Merle knew damned well he wasn't even in California.

"Do what?" Daryl asked, running a hand over his face.

"How'd you get that pretty gal to agree to go on a date with your sorry ass?" Merle asked. Daryl snorted.

"Why d'you wanna know?" A pause. "Merle?"

"Look, it ain't your fuckin' business."

"Hey, whoa. You're the one callin' me. What the hell you wanna know for?" He heard a strangled sigh on the other end of the phone, and he rolled his eyes. "You tryin' to get back in Paula's good graces?"

"Paula? Fuck no. She's back with her ex. He's been slippin' it to her for the past couple weeks. She don't want nothin' to do with me now. Good riddance anyway." He snorted, and Daryl shook his head.

"So this is about Michonne then."

"Pfft. No." He wasn't convincing.

"She ain't interested," Daryl pointed out. "She's happy with Rick."

"Officer Friendly? What's he got that I ain't?"

"Uh, he ain't a chain smokin' binge drinker with hot temper. He don't make stupid choices when he's mad or drunk or on havin' a bad day."

"He ain't so perfect. M'sure he's got a few skeletons in his closet. His first wife left his ass, so somethin's gotta be wrong with him."

"Didn't his wife cheat on 'im with his best friend?"

"Whatever," Merle muttered. "Look, how'd you get her attention?"

"I dunno," Daryl muttered with a sigh. "I stopped on the side of the road 'cause somebody was broke down. Just happened to be her. And I think she woulda pepper-sprayed my ass, but I think she kinda liked me." Merle snorted at that. "Yeah, uh, she didn't trust me, but I didn't know who the hell she was. She thought I was helpin' 'cause I saw a fancy car and thought I'd get some money out of it."

"What a bitch," Merle snorted.

"Hey, asshole, she didn't know me," Daryl pointed out. "But I helped her, took her to Michonne's. She invited me out for coffee, it ended up being drinks and a game of pool, and the rest is history."

"So ya didn't really say nothin' to her?"

"We just kinda clicked," Daryl said, shrugging as he saw her come down the stairs with the phone still at her ear. She gave him an apologetic look before flitting off to the kitchen. He just smiled at her, and he leaned back into the recliner again. "Best thing that ever happened to me was her car breakin' down on the side of that freeway."

"You gonna need a flashlight?"

"What for?"

"To find yer balls, baby brother."

"Fuck you. Look, Michonne's happy with Rick, but if you're that crazy about her, then maybe you better tell her."

"I been tellin' her."

"By actin' like an asshole every time you see her? Try not bein' an asshole. Hell, try not puttin' her boyfriend down every time, too. Maybe if ya act like a decent guy instead of a prick…"

"Catch more flies with honey than vinegar, right?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that," Daryl snorted, a little baffled he was trying to give his big brother relationship advice. At that moment, Carol came padding into the living room, kicking her shoes off and putting her cell phone down on the chair-side table. Daryl held his arm out, and she climbed into his lap, curling one arm around his neck as his arm curled around her waist. She smiled at him before burying her face against his neck and inhaling the scent of him. She smiled into his neck when his throat rumbled against his voice. "Alright, look, I gotta go."

"You about to get laid?"

"Get yer mind outta the gutter," Daryl snorted.

"Later, baby bro."

"Yeah, alright. Bye." He ended the call and put his phone down next to hers.

"How's Merle?" she asked, stroking his neck with her fingertips, cocking her head to the side as he leaned his head back to look at her.

"He's lovesick for Michonne," he said with a grin.

"Oh God," Carol laughed, shaking her head. "What a mess."

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. "But at least he's focused on somethin' other than Paula. They were bad for each other, y'know?"

"Mmm," Carol said with a little nod. "Well, maybe this'll give Merle a reason to get his act together."

"Maybe," he said thoughtfully. "So? How'd your conference go?"

"Ugh," Carol groaned, burying her face against Daryl's neck, hugging him as his hand moved up and down her back soothingly.

"That bad?"

"They gave me two options."

"Shit," he muttered, gently stroking her back. "This ain't good, is it?" She shook her head and finally pulled back to look at him.

"They want a spinoff for Olivia. Badly. They thought I'd be all in for it, but the truth is, I'm in my zone right now. The people I work with, the writers, the crew. It all works. We play off of one another, and I don't know how I feel about starting over, starting something new. And they're talking about killing Jake off, which would really piss off a lot of fans. This would be their way of kind of solidifying the Jake/Olivia romance. If Jake dies and Olivia goes off on her own, well people would be rioting."

"Yeah, I could see that," he said with a little nod.

"But the spinoff would be picked up for at least three seasons to start off with." She frowned. "Or if not, they want me to sign on for another three seasons of _Apocalypse, Now_ , making Olivia more prominent than she already is, and that would mean more filming, more press, more interviews, more conventions." Daryl gently stroked Carol's cheek, and she shook her head. "I like the way things are now." She sighed and chewed her lip hesitantly.

"You're worried 'cause we were talkin' about havin' a baby."

"This will push that back. A lot. I mean, we could do it, but my schedule would be crazy, and I want time to be with you and to be a family. I don't want work to take over my entire life."

"What do _you_ wanna do?" She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her with a soft kiss. "Hey. Look at me." She sighed and nodded, and he threaded his fingers with hers. "I want ya to be happy. I want ya to do what _you_ wanna do. Not what you think you _should_ do."

"Daryl, I want _you_ to be happy, too. You're my husband, and I love you, and we're in this together. This isn't just you or me anymore. It's us. And this is a big decision."

"I've seen you," he said, tucking a strand of her hair, wild from sleep, behind her ear. "You love what you do. You're in your element on that set. You love it."

"I do," she murmured.

"And if ya wanna wait a year, three years, ten years, I can do that, 'cause I got you." He kissed her softly. "I love you." She sighed then, leaning in to kiss him. "And, I dunno, we can get a dog. That'll be good practice." Carol laughed and shook her head before her smile turned more serious, and her fingers curled into his shirt.

"I don't want the spinoff," she said softly. "I want to finish out this show. I've been there since the beginning. I want to finish out this show the way it was planned from the beginning." She shrugged. "We all know spinoffs usually pale in comparison anyway." Daryl chuckled and gave her a little kiss.

"Then that's what you do. You ain't gonna have no regrets?"

"Nope," she said with a smile. "None." She sighed then, standing up and reaching for his hand. He took it and stood with her.

"Where we goin'?"

"Oh, we're home alone, we've got the place to ourselves for at least another hour."

"Why do ya say that? Your folks'll be back soon."

"You've never seen my mother grocery shop, have you?" she teased, kissing him softly. "We've got at least an hour. Come on." Daryl chuckled then, and he gave her hand a squeeze before following her up the stairs and to her old room, content about the future and ready to spend it with her.

...

The tile floor was cold against his bare feet, and he shivered, tugging his boxers back up his legs before flushing the toilet. When he returned to her room, Carol was wrapped in her bathrobe and sitting on the edge of the bed with a grin on her face and her phone in her hand.

"What?" he asked, grabbing for his sweatpants and his shirt.

"Oh, I just got off the phone with Michonne," she giggled, standing up and shrugging off her robe and grabbing for her bra and panties, slipping them on as Daryl tugged his shirt over his head.

"Yeah? Everything ok?"

"Oh, it seems your brother showed up at her apartment with a tool box and asked her if she needed a hand with her plumbing." Daryl's face went pale.

"He didn't."

"Oh, he did," she laughed. "What on earth did you say to him?"

"Oh, hell, he called askin' about how I got you," he snorted. "I told him 'bout how your car broke down and I stopped to help."

"So, from that, he decides to take his tools over to her place and hope that there's something that needs to be fixed?"

"Well, hey, he's tryin'," Daryl replied with a shrug, as Carol wiggled into her jeans. "He ain't got a chance with her, though."

"Well, I don't know," Carol said with raised eyebrows, pulling her blouse over her head and running her fingers through her hair. She settled down on the bed, and he joined her, scooting up with her to rest against the pillows, his bare feet cool against hers but warming by the moment.

"What makes ya say that?"

"Michonne likes Rick. She does. But I don't think she's a hundred percent sold on the idea of spending a lifetime with him. He's nice, yeah, but a nice guy isn't always all a woman wants."

"Don't tell me she's actually thinkin' about…Merle?"

"I don't know, but she thought it was kind of cute."

"Cute? Merle?"

"Hey, Dixon men can be pretty charming without even meaning to be. I know this from experience. You charmed me right to the altar barely a month after tapping on my window for the first time." She winked at him. "I was sold after the first date. I just didn't want to give you a swelled head."

"Gave me a swelled head on the first date, if I recall," he teased, as she laughed and curled up against him, burying her face against his neck and kissing him there.

"You're impossible," she sighed.

"But ya love me." He kissed her. "And I love you." He curled his fingers with hers, and she smiled. "They'll be home soon. We should get up."

"Yeah," she said with a nod, yawning and blinking back the pull of sleep. "But I'm good here."

"Yeah," he agreed, placing a kiss to the side of her head. "Me too."

...

 _Apocalypse, California star Carol Mason and hubby Daryl Dixon are new parents! Shortly after arriving back in L.A. from holiday in Georgia, they adopted a bouncing baby girl. Hold on, folks, things are not as they seem. The Mason-Dixon family have welcomed an adorable Australian Shepherd puppy! On her social media account, Mason finally broke her silence to thank her fans for their love and support and asked the media to respect her privacy. She gushed about how happy she is despite the many changes in her life these past few months and even posted a sweet snap of her hunky husband with their new pup. She captioned it 'not exactly the baby you all were expecting, but we love her!' She capped off the cheeky comment with a winky-face emoji and raised eyebrows suggesting that the pitter patter of baby feet might not be that far off._

 _Mason recently signed on for another three years with Apocalypse, California, so Olivia O'Connor fans rejoice! Your favorite action star isn't going anywhere any time soon, and her real life counterpart seems to be slowing down and settling into married life after that whirlwind romance. Here's to many happy years of wedded bliss for our favorite TV badass and her handsome husband._

 _The END_

 _..._

 _Author's Note:_

 _I wasn't going to post this today. I really wasn't. I decided yesterday that I was done, and I wasn't going to write anything else for a long while. But I tossed and turned last night and decided I needed to give Spotlight and ending. And I was already working on this chapter before, so I figured it was time. So I finished it, and here it is, and I hope it was worth it. I'm sorry if it's not the ending you were expecting. This will be my last fanfic update for a while. I will eventually finish Heart Song and maybe write other Caryl fics again, but I need a little time to find the joy again and be happy with myself and my writing. Thank you all for reading._


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